Ghost Rider
by Doug4422
Summary: During a night alone, Ron stumbles onto an old motorcycle in a junk yard.  During a mission, he releases the spirit of vengeance, known as Ghost Rider.  Full summary inside.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I **_DO NOT _**own the rights to any of the characters herein, Kim Possible, and all related characters are owned by Disney Entertainment, Ghost Rider is owned by Marvel Comics, the storyline is mine, I make no profit from this.

**Kim Possible**

in

**Ghost Rider**

_**During a night alone, Ron Stoppable stumbles on a motorcycle in a junk yard, he buys it, takes it home, and restores it into his dream ride, but his motorcycle holds a dark secret, the spirit of vengeance resides in it, and one night, during a mission, Ghost Rider is reawakened.**_

**Prologue**

Ron Stoppable was wondering through the local junk yard, being alone tonight had it's advantages, Kim never would've thought that this is the way that he spent his free time.

"If KP saw me walking through here to find a car to restore, she'd freak." he said to no one, when his eyes fell on an old motorcycle, sitting all alone near the front of the yard, it was somewhat beat up, and looked as though it had seen it's better days.

'_Nothing a little TLC can't fix_.' he thought to himself as he walked to the still open office.

"How much for the motorcycle?" he asked the man behind the counter,

"Three fifty." the man said, studying Ron with a hard eye,

"Sold." Ron said, slamming the money on the counter. The man walked back, and took a set of keys off the shelf, and handed them to Ron, he thought that the key ring they were on was kind of weird, it was a steel skull, that looked as though it was on fire.

Ron walked back into the junk yard, and started the motorcycle up, it caught on the first push of the ignition, he brought up the kick stand, and put the bike in gear, heading out of the yard in a fast pace,

'_At least the engine doesn't need a whole lot of work, just a tune up, and probably some new gaskets, and I'll be golden._' he thought, pointing the motorcycle home,

he would go out to the courthouse in the morning, and get it licensed in his name.

* * *

_A month later:_

Ron had finished the small restoration project on his motorcycle, and had plans on picking up Kim for school this morning, he had called her up and asked her to wait for him,

"I got a big surprise for you, KP." he said.

When Ron arrived at Kim's house, she was waiting at the front door for him,

"So, what's this big surprise you got for me?" she asked, smiling,

"Right here." Ron said, stepping out of the way so that Kim could get a good look at the completely restored Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail motorcycle that was parked in the Possible driveway,

"Nice, I like, how much did it cost." Kim commented,

"Three fifty, and a months worth of work." Ron said,

"You bought this out of a junk yard?" Kim asked,

"Yep, I restored it myself." Ron replied, now pulling out a helmet for Kim, as she walked out to the bike, and sat down on it, smiling,

"We're gonna be late for school, Ron, so, let's get going." Kim said, securing the helmet around her chin, as Ron walked up to the bike, and started it without effort.


	2. Chapter 1:  The Mission

**Chapter 1**

**The Mission**

Kim and Ron arrived at school well ahead of the crowd, and waited for Monique near Ron's new motorcycle, when the young African-American girl showed up around the corner,

"You finally got it finished, huh, Ron?" Monique asked, as she saw the beautiful Harley sitting in Ron's usual parking space,

"Yeah, and it's about time, too." Ron replied, smiling. Monique was the only other one that knew about how much time Ron had put into this work.

"C'mon, let's get inside." Kim said, spotting Bonnie Rockwaller coming up hard to where they were standing.They were unable to make it away from the curb, when Bonnie said something,

"How did you and the loser make it here before me, K." Bonnie said, her voice extremely abrasive,

"On that." Kim said, pointing to Ron's motorcycle. Bonnie's mouth almost went through the concrete when she saw the bike,

"Stoppable bought **_THAT!_**" she said, amazed that Ron could afford something so grand,

"Yep, bought it, and restored it myself." Ron said, smiling,

"Oh, so it's not new, then." Bonnie smirked,

"No, but I'm willing to bet that it costs more on blue book than that Acura you drive around." Ron said, making Bonnie stomp away from them in a huff,

"Way to go, Ron." Kim said, smiling. Ever since after the prom, Ron had become more confident, and sure of himself, even his grades were showing a major improvement, going up from D's, to C's, and B's.

* * *

_A few hours later:_

As Kim and Ron were heading for lunch, the four familiar tones of the Kimmunicator rang out from Kim's pocket,

"What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim asked,

"Hot tip on Drakken and Shego, Kim, it appears that they're hold up in an abandoned warehouse somewhere in the dockyards." Wade replied,

"Want us to go there now?" Kim asked,

"No, it'll have to be a night raid, make sure to have the battle suit handy, you're gonna need it, the place is crawling with synthodrones." Wade responded,

"Oh, great, more Erik clones, huh?" Kim said, her face showing extreme disgust at the mention of synthetic robots being in the area. She still had not recovered fully from the sting that Drakken had put on her, by practically pushing one of those disgusting things into her life,

"Unfortunate. But true, so, be careful, Kim." Wade said, before signing off,

"Looks like our night's been planned." Ron said, looking at Kim as she stowed the new, folding Kimmunicator in her pocket.

* * *

_Later that night, at the dockyards:_

Ron had shut his motorcycle off a few feet from the warehouse that Drakken and Shego were using as their new lair, they could hear Drakken's laughing coming from inside,

"I'll go topside, and get in thought that open window up there." Ron said, pointing to a window near the rafters,

"Okay, I'll try a side approach." Kim replied, moving to a side window that was hidden behind several crates, and boxes.

Ron jumped to the side of the warehouse, and pushed a button on his right glove, instantly, suction cups popped out on his gloved hands, and his feet, allowing him more stability while climbing the steel surface of the warehouse. As he reached the window, he began to work the hinges, so he could get in without breaking the glass, and creating undue attention to himself. Unfortunately, his Ron-ness took over after he had removed the window from the pane, it had slipped out of his hands, and shattered on the pavement below,

"Oh, great." Ron said, as he saw Shego standing in front of him,

"Just not your day, huh." Shego sarcastically commented, hitting Ron in the chest with one of her signature plasma blasts, he was dislodged from the side of the warehouse, and landed hard on the pavement near his motorcycle.

Ron shook his head, to get the stars out of his eyes, and looked to his motorcycle, for some reason, it appeared that the gas cap was glowing,

'_I must've hit my head harder than I thought_.' Ron thought to himself, as he walked over to his bike, and looked at the cap, he wasn't imagining things, the cap was glowing a bright yellow.

Assuming that it was hot, Ron reached out to remove the cap, before the resultant heat caused the gas inside the tank to ignite, he reached out, and placed his hand to it.

Suddenly, pain shot through Ron's body, he screamed out, the pain almost unbearable, he turned to the warehouse, where Kim was running out of it, she stared, open-mouthed at Ron, and was gesturing something to him. As he looked down, he realized, with a pang of horror, what it was.

'_Oh my God, **I'M ON FIRE!**_' his mind screamed out, but, for some reason, the fire didn't seem to burn him. He watched in horror, as his skin turned to bones, and his mission clothes were replaced with a leather biker style jacket, and black leather pants, his sneakers were replaced with black leather biker boots, and stainless steel chains wrapped around his chest, when he spoke, his voice echoed, and sounded menacing, and evil,

"I am the spirit that rides in the night, I am vengeance, I am **_GHOST RIDER!_**"

"Oh, my God, I don't believe what I'm seeing." Kim said, fear rooting her to the spot,

"You should not be afraid, KP. If anything, you need to pray for Drakken and Shego. By the time I'm done with them, they'll wish they were dead." the horrid apparition said, it's eyeless sockets peering at Kim. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine. It was as if hell itself appeared in front of her, and took Ron away,

"Who are you, and what have you done to Ron?" Kim asked, still staring unblinkingly at the thing before her,

"There will be time for explanations later. Right now, I would advise you to remain out here. What is about to happen in this warehouse isn't for your eyes." Ghost Rider explained.

Kim wasn't listening, as she followed this Ghost Rider up to the warehouse door, he had started up the motorcycle that was where Ron's bike once stood, only this one was completely different.

It looked more like a custom chopper, with flaming wheels, and a chrome skull where the headlight should be. Flames appeared to come from the engine. And when he started it up, it was as if several voices cried out in agony, and got higher in pitch, as he opened up the throttle, and crashed through the front door of the warehouse.

Drakken and Shego were celebrating a victory over Kim, when the front door of the warehouse splintered, and standing in front of them, stood something, the likes of which, they had never seen before,

"Halloween isn't for a few more months." Shego quipped,

"I'm not here for trick-or-treat, I'm here for vengeance." Ghost Rider said, the ghoulish skull leering at both of the villains standing in front of him, the fire sweeping from his body was intense in the heat it put out,

"Who are you, then?" Drakken asked,

"I go by many names, but there's only one that you need to know, Ghost Rider." the apparition replied, walking up to the partners in crime with a purpose.

Shego was the first to attack, but no sooner had she reached the air, than she was struck out of it by a long stainless steel chain, she fell to the ground, where she was knocked out from the impact with the floor.

"**_SHEGO!_**" Drakken screamed at the olive-skinned beauty, but she didn't answer,

"She's not dead. But when she wakes. She'll wish she were." Ghost Rider said, his eyeless sockets now locked onto Drakken,

"I hope you burn in hell for what you've just done." Drakken said,

"Burn in hell. Don't you get it, I'm from hell." Ghost Rider replied, now hitting Drakken with the same chains, knocking him out with one hit,

"Oh my God, this is unbelievable, you're the Ghost Rider." Kim said, the realization of what she had just witnessed sinking in,

"It's time to go, KP. Let's get out of here." Ghost Rider said, extending his hand to Kim, who took it, still wanting answers about what happened to Ron,

"I still want to know what happened to Ron." Kim said, taking her place on the back of the custom chopper,

"I am Ron Stoppable, I'm just inhabiting his body to carry out my work." Ghost Rider replied,

"Carry out your work, explain, please." Kim asked,

"I am what would be known as a spirit of vengeance. My only mission is to protect the innocent. It is so that I can atone for my very lawless past. I was sealed in the motorcycle that Ron bought, the only way for me to be released, is if there is danger nearby, then, the owner of the motorcycle must touch the gas cap in order to release my power into his body." Ghost Rider explained,

"That's why you call me KP, isn't it?" Kim asked,

"Yes, that is the reason. Even though I am Ghost Rider, I still retain the memories of my host." Ghost Rider explained,

"So, you know everything that Ron knows?" Kim asked,

"And then some." Ghost Rider explained,

"Will Ron have any knowledge of what happened tonight?" Kim asked,

"Yes, he will, and he will remember everything that transpired prior to when he let me out." Ghost Rider said, his voice seemed a lot calmer now, but for some reason, he wasn't changing back,

"What happens when you're released?" Kim asked,

"I remain in this form until sunrise. My host will reawaken, feeling refreshed, and well-rested." Ghost Rider explained,

"So, you're a spirit that lives in the dark." Kim added,

"Yes, it's most unfortunate, but it's true." Ghost Rider explained,

"Have you ever appeared in the daytime?" Kim asked,

"Only once, many years ago, my owner at the time had touched the cap in a time of need, in the hours of the early afternoon. I had been called, so I heeded the call, unfortunately, it cost my master his life." Ghost Rider explained,

"So, you're a slave to the owner of the motorcycle, then." Kim commented,

"I am. I am privy to the whims of the person that owns the motorcycle, but my power cannot be used against those I've sworn to protect." Ghost Rider said,

"If it is?" Kim asked,

"If it is, then I die, along with my master." Ghost Rider explained.

Kim had been on the back of Ghost Rider's chopper for what seemed like hours. He had explained a lot in a short amount of time, answering all of Kim's questions quickly, and not hiding anything from her, until they began to slow to a stop in front of her house,

"I'm sorry, Kim, but this is as far as you go." Ghost Rider said, letting Kim dismount from the bike,

"Are you going home?" Kim asked,

"No, not yet, my work is not done for the night." Ghost Rider explained, opening the throttle of his chopper, and taking off down the road in a ball of fire.

* * *

_This idea came to me during a writing session for another story, where Ghost Rider was mentioned, but never seen, it hadtaken rootduring an online conversation with **Classic Cowboy**, so he deserves some props for helping out with this idea._

_Also, if you notice, I changedGhost Rideraround a little bit, being privy to the whims of the person that owns the motorcycle, and not the other way around, and the host body remembers everything, in the old comics, the host body remembered nothing of what happened when Ghost Rider appeared._

_I also changed the fact that Ghost Rider's power can be used against anyone, I limited him to those who have harmed the innocent, if he were to use his powers against those he's sworn to protect, he dies, along with his host._


	3. Chapter 2:  Faded Memories

**Chapter 2**

**Faded Memories**

The next morning found Ron a few blocks away from Kim's, he yawned, stretched, and scratched his head,

'_How did I end up here?_' he thought to himself, then, slowly, the events of last night began to come back to him. The fiery inferno he had found himself in, his body being invaded by a demonic specter that had taken out both Drakken and Shego in seconds, and the name that stuck in his head, Ghost Rider.

'_Better make it a point to ask Kim about that._' he thought as he started up his motorcycle, and turned it toward Kim's, since it was the weekend, there would be plenty of opportunity to take Kim somewhere, and have some fun, in an attempt to salvage the remaining days of the week.

Upon arrival at the Possible home, he found Kim in the yard, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and wearing an old shirt, tied into a knot at her breast line, a pair of old jeans, and an old pair of black canvas sneakers,

"Hey, KP, doing some yard work?" Ron asked as he got off his bike,

"Yeah, it needs it, how are you feeling this morning?" Kim asked

"About that, there's something I need to ask you, Kim, well, not so much ask, as confirm." Ron said, looking at Kim, who stopped what she was doing, and looked at Ron with concerned eyes,

"Okay, shoot." Kim responded,

"Did, something happen to me last night, like, a change of some kind?" Ron asked,

"Don't you remember it?" Kim asked,

"Yeah, I just wanted confirmation on it." Ron replied,

"Oh, yeah, something happened all right." Kim replied, her face showing a very serious expression,

"Then it wasn't a dream." Ron said, his face lighting up with an unreadable expression,

"I wish it was, I didn't tell Mom and Dad about it, but the Tweebs were watching out of their bedroom window, and wanted to know who that was." Kim said,

"What did you tell them?" Ron asked,

"The truth." Kim replied,

"As long as they keep quiet about it, there'll be no problems." Ron replied,

"Who's gonna believe them?" Kim asked,

"True. Hey, KP, wanna go for a ride?" Ron said, smiling,

"I thought you'd never ask." Kim said, taking her hair out of its ponytail, and grabbing a pair of white tennis shoes near the front door of the house, she quickly went inside, and came back out a few minutes later, wearing her black long sleeve shirt, and red miniskirt,

"Me like." Ron murmured, as Kim got onto the back of the beautiful motorcycle, placed her helmet on her head, wrapped her arms around Ron's waist, and leaned her head against his back, as he started it up.

the teenage lovers arrived at Bueno Nacho late in the afternoon, after taking in a movie, and a shopping excursion at the mall, they were having a load of fun, until Bonnie Rockwaller walked into the place,

"Outta my way, losers." Kim said, pushing roughly past Kim and Ron, who were at the register, and preparing to order, Kim grabbed Bonnie by the shoulder, and said,

"Park it in the back, Bonnie."

"I'm in a hurry." Bonnie replied, in her trademark smug voice,

"I don't care. Whatever date you have with Brick tonight can wait until Ron and I have ordered." Kim said, now pushing Bonnie away from the counter, and to a point directly behind Ron,

"Hey, Stoppable, Brick needs help with his bike, think you can help him out?" Bonnie asked,

"If he asks me, not you." Ron replied, making the tanned cheerleaders face turn an ugly red color. Ever since prom night, Ron seemed to take great pride in ribbing Bonnie hard, he still had not gotten over the sting of her malicious behavior that night.

* * *

_Later that evening:_

Bonnie Rockwaller was walking down a darkened street alone, she had been crying for what seemed like forever. She had went out on a date with Brick, only to find out that he had dumped her in favor of Monique, it was too much for the bronzed beauty to take,

"The man doesn't have an ounce of sense in him." she violently said to no one. As she turned, she noticed that she had turned up a dead end alley, as she turned around to go back, she saw something that made her blood run cold. Five men were standing at the end of the alley, all of them were leering at her, clearly, these men had nothing but bad intentions on their minds,

"Hey, baby, wanna have some fun?" one of the men said, his voice laced with sarcasm,

"Not with you I don't." Bonnie said connecting with a punch to the solar plexus, and starting to run, but four pairs of strong hands pushed her back into the alley, and onto the ground,

"You're gonna pay for that one, you little . . ." the man, who appeared to be the leader of the group said, but he didn't get any further, when suddenly, he was taken off his feet by a ball of fire that shot from somewhere near the end of the alley,

"**_NOT_** a good idea!" came a menacing voice from the same direction. Bonnie watched in horror, as the four remaining men parted, and her eyes made contact with something she had never seen in her life, and she hoped, she'd never see again.

Sitting on a custom chopper, with flames coming from it, stood what appeared to be a living skeleton, encased in fire, dressed in a black leather biker jacket, black leather pants, and black biker boost, his hands were covered by black leather gloves, and stainless steel chains were wrapped across his chest, Bonnie watched, as one of the men came to this apparition, and attempted to try stabbing it, but before the man could get the knife out of his pocket, he met the barrel of what appeared to be an old lever action shotgun,

"The rest of you have three seconds to clear out, or I'm gonna open up a can of whoop ass you've never seen." she horrid demon said, by looking at this creature, Bonnie was sure that hell itself had been unleashed on Earth.

Bonnie watched, as the four remaining gang members scattered like cockroaches from a flashlight,

"You're safe now, let me give you a lift home." the thing said, extending his hand out to the tanned beauty, who smiled, and said,

"Thanks."

* * *

_A few minutes later, at the Rockwaller home:_

Ghost Rider dropped Bonnie off at the front door of her house and was preparing to leave,

"Who are you, really?" Bonnie asked,

"A friend." Ghost Rider replied, starting up his bike, and preparing to leave,

"I guess everyone has their secrets." Bonnie said,

"Sure do, see ya later, Bon-Bon." Ghost Rider said, speeding off before Bonnie had a chance to let sink in what the specter had said,

"**_STOPPABLE!_**" she shouted, now turning to where she could see Ghost Rider's reflection in the distance.

* * *

_**OOPS! **Big mistake on Ghost Rider's part, he had just let slip who he is. Now Ron's not going to get a minutes peace from Bonnie, until she uncovers the truth about her ghostly saviour._

_So keep reading it's going to get interesting from here on out._

_As always, keep the reviews coming._

_**Doug**_


	4. Chapter 3:  Super Pest

**Chapter 3**

**Super Pest**

Kim and Ron arrived early at school the next day hoping to avoid the mad dash into the building, they had just gotten to their lockers, when a voice rang out from behind them,

"Ron Stoppable, I'd like a word with you!" Bonnie Rockwaller said from the end of the hall,

"Uh-oh, me busted." Ron said, low enough for only Kim to hear,

"About what?" Kim asked,

"Tell you later." Ron said, gesturing for Kim to keep quiet,

"Where were you last night, Ron?" Bonnie asked, standing in front of Ron with her hands on her hips,

"What do you mean, 'where was I,' I was with Kim all last night, wasn't I, KP?" Ron said, turning to look at Kim. An unspoken agreement came between the two of them, and Kim finally spoke,

"Yeah, he spent the night at my place last night, Bonnie, why?" she asked,

"Because I got a visit from something last night, it called me '_Bon-Bon_,' as far as I know, you're the only one, besides my mother that calls me that, Stoppable." Bonnie said, flames shooting from her eyes,

"I have no idea what you're talking about Bonnie, and like I said, I was at KP's house all night last night." Ron reenforced, still staring at Bonnie, his brown eyes narrowed to slits,

"Well, I'm going to find out who this Ghost Rider is, and I'm not going to stop until I get some answers." Bonnie said, turning on her heel, and stomping off in the opposite direction from Kim and Ron,

"What was **_THAT_** all about?" Kim asked, staring at Ron,

"Uh . . . little accident with the tongue last night, KP." Ron said, his head tilted sideways, and a sheepish grin on his face, the look that told Kim, in no uncertain terms, that Ron was major busted,

"What did you do?" Kim asked, her voice even,

"I kinda let slip who I am." Ron said, his face turning a vivid red color,

"Oh, Ron, you didn't." Kim said, now looking at Ron with shock on her face,

"I couldn't help myself." Ron said,

"Now, she's gonna dog us to no end." Kim replied, hanging her head.

* * *

_Later that night, outside of the Stoppable home:_

Bonnie Rockwaller walked silently up to the garage, where, moments before, Ron had parked his motorcycle, she could hear Ron tinkering with his pride and joy inside,

'_He's up awful late, and tomorrow is a school day, he's almost never late anymore._' she thought, as she crept up to the window. She stood on tiptoe, and looked into the garage, to see Ron, his motorcycle on a stand that had lifted it off the concrete floor, she also noticed a set of new rims sitting on a bench next to him, both rims had brand new tires on them,

'_What's he doing?_' she thought, as she watched Ron remove the old rims, and place the new ones onto the bike, as soon as everything was hooked up, Ron dropped the motorcycle onto the floor, and pushed it out of the garage, and onto the driveway, where he started the big Harley up, and took off down the road, as though he had not a care in the world.

* * *

_At the Possible home:_

Kim was in her bedroom, getting ready for a date with Ron, when she heard the familiar sound of the engine of Ron's motorcycle pulling into the driveway. She rushed downstairs, and turned to look at her father,

"I'm going out for a while, don't wait up." she said as she bolted out the door,

"Be back in the house by midnight, Kimmie-cub." Mr. Dr. Possible replied, as he watched his daughter's retreating back disappear through the door.

"Yo, Kimbo, ready to hit it?" Ron asked, as Kim came out of the door, pulling a helmet onto her head,

"Let's jet." she said, hopping onto the back of the bike, and lacing her arms around Ron's waist, tonight, they were going to the local dance hall and attempt to spend some time together.

* * *

_Later, at the dance hall:_

Kim and Ron stepped off the floor, after having what felt like their hundredth dance together, and took a seat well away from the floor, and secluded in darkness, what they didn't realize, was that Bonnie Rockwaller was sitting in the bench directly behind them, listening to every word that was said between them,

"Hey, wanna go on a picnic this weekend?" Kim asked, smiling at Ron,

"Sure, my game night with Felix is next weekend, I'm game for it." Ron replied. In the booth, Bonnie smiled,

'_Perfect, an opportunity to keep an eye on you, Stoppable_.' she thought to herself, she had to give herself credit, Kim would be proud of her technique, going undetected past them, and into this booth, it had become rarer, and rarer to sneak past Ron in the couple of days since he bought that motorcycle, although the differences were subtle, and no one would notice, Bonnie had picked up on them quickly, such as the fact that Ron's clumsiness seemed to have vanished, and his confidence had increased.

'_Make a point to document that when you get home tonight_.' Bonnie told herself, that's when Ron turned, and came face-to-face with her,

"Comfortable back there, Bonnie?" he asked,

"Uh-oh, busted." Bonnie said, getting up from the booth, and making a mad dash for the door,

"How did you know she was back there?" Kim asked,

"I felt it more than I knew it." Ron replied, a sheepish grin on his face.

* * *

_The next Saturday at Middleton Park:_

This afternoon was the scheduled picnic that Kim and Ron had planned earlier in the week, and finally, the teenage lovers were going to get some time to themselves,

"I brought some turkey sandwiches, a bag of chips, and a bowl of potato salad." Kim said, unpacking the picnic basket on the blanket that Ron had unfolded,

"Sounds good to me." Ron replied, not realizing that a fair distance away, using a listening device to hear the conversation, was Bonnie,

'_Damn, Stoppable, if you two are going to keep this up, get a room._' she thought, when she heard the familiar four tones of the Kimmunicator ring out,

"Go, Wade." Kim said, bringing the device to her face,

"I just got word that Motor Ed is at it again, he's stealing motorcycle parts from every dealer in town." Wade said, shaking his head,

"We're on it." Kim replied, placing the device back into her pocket, and standing up,

"Aw, man, leaving already?" Ron asked,

"Yep, pack out your trash." Kim said,

'_Perfect timing, Wade,_' Bonnie thought to herself, '_you have a flair for breaking things up, but not this time, I intend to follow them._'

Bonnie quickly walked to an unassuming black car parked on the side of the road, and waited for her target to appear out of the park, when they did, she immediately pulled in behind them, and stayed on them, until they arrived at Kim's house, they spent a few minutes inside, and then, they were in their mission clothes, and off again, Bonnie was once again on their tails, watching every move they made closely, and keeping a sharp eye on Ron at the same time,

"You're gonna give up your secret, Stoppable, sooner, or later, you're going to slip up, and I'm going to see it." she said, a smile crossing her face.

* * *

_Gonna leave it there for now, man, talk about being a pain in the back, Bonnie is clinging to them like a cheap suit, what do you think is going to happen next, stay tuned to find out, you might enjoy it. This should link into the next chapter, I just needed to tell the story of Bonnie's constant tailing of Kim and Ron, in order for you to understand what's going to happen next._

_As always, keep the reviews coming,_

_**Doug**_


	5. Chapter 4  Think Michael Jordan

1**Chapter 4**

**Think Michael Jordan**

Kim and Ron arrived at the junkyard that served as Motor Ed's base, only to find it empty,

"Oh, great, we come here, hoping to find the guy, and what do we get, nothing." Ron said, his temper rising,

"Amp down, Ron, I'm sure that Motor Ed is around here somewhere." Kim said, pointing to a table that had a few dozen motorcycle parts on it, and from the looks of the serial numbers on them, they were the parts they were looking for,

"Figured you'd show up sooner, or later, Red." came the voice of Motor Ed behind them,

"What's the plan this time, build an indestructible fleet of motorcycles?" Kim asked sarcastically,

"Oh, that's foul, Red, seriously, knowing what my plan is before I even say it." Motor Ed replied, his face showing nothing but bad intentions,

"And how do you plan to pull it off, Motorhead?" Ron quipped,

"Better watch it, skinny dude, seriously." Ed replied, smiling, as he whistled for his henchmen, which came out of every corner of the lair, Ron immediately ran for the elevator to the ground level, and found his bike there, unbeknownst to him, there was a spy in the midst, in the form of Bonnie Rockwaller, who had followed them into the junkyard,

'_Perfect, now I can find out what I want to know_.' she thought, watching Ron move toward his motorcycle, and what appeared to be something glowing on it, near the gas cap.

Ron touched his palm to the gas cap of his motorcycle, and initiated the transformation into Ghost Rider, right under the horrified eyes of Bonnie, who saw the whole thing,

'_Oh, my God, how is he going to survive that?_' she thought, watching the flesh melt from Ron's bones, and the biker outfit suddenly take the place of his mission clothes, she continued to watch, as stainless steel chains wrapped around the body.

Ghost Rider had completely formed, and pulled from a holster on his back, a sawed-off, lever action shotgun, and walked to the elevator, as though he had not a care in the world.

* * *

_Meanwhile, in the lair:_

Kim was struggling against the mass of numbers that Motor Ed had in his favor, and they all seemed to come at her at once, making it hard for her to keep up the fighting pace she was currently at, when suddenly, at the same time, the elevator opened, and Kim felt something hit her in the back of the head, where she felt herself drift into unconsciousness.

"**_KIM!_**" Ghost Rider shouted, as he ran out of the elevator, and up to the knocked out teenager, feeling her neck, he found a pulse, he quickly got to his feet, and grabbed onto the shotgun he had laid down at his side,

"Prepare for **_PAIN!_**" he shouted, firing off the gun at every moving target that came into his view, but something seemed amiss, this gun didn't fire off projectiles, instead, it fired off balls of fire at it's targets, hitting them without preamble, then, once they were down, the horrid apparation walked up to the ringleader, and fixed him with a stare that would make a normal man run for cover,

"**_HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO KIM!_**" the ghoulish invader said, still leering at Motor Ed,

"She got in my way, just like you did, seriously." Motor Ed replied, his voice didn't sound quite as confident as it did when he had Kim to contend with, it now seemed to fear this thing in front of him,

"Prepare to pay for what you did, and you're gonna pay dearly, _seriously_!" Ghost Rider said, mocking Motor Ed with the last word out of his mouth, that was enough to sent the mulleted villain after Ghost Rider, who was waiting for him, in no time at all, the entire lair was filled with an eerie orange glow, when it died down, Motor Ed was on the floor, knocked out from a blast of fire that caught him in the chest.

* * *

_Middleton General Hospital:_

A nurse was sitting at the ER desk, when an unusual person came walking into the place through the ambulance entrance,

"Excuse me, what are you doing with this, oh, my God, **_WHAT ARE YOU!_**" the nurse said, getting her first full look at Ghost Rider,

"Never mind what I am, this woman needs medical attention, **_NOW!_**" Ghost Rider said, making the nurse jump,

"Treatment room 3 is open, down the hall, and to your right." the nurse replied, feeling better not to tangle with whatever this thing was,

"Thank you, her name is Kim Possible, and I _strongly_ suggest that you give her your utmost attention." Ghost Rider said, turning, and walking down the hall, to the open treatment room, where he placed Kim gently on the bed,

"Rest easy, KP, you're in good hands." Ghost Rider said, leaning in, and placing a kiss on her forehead, if anyone would've noticed at what was happening, rather than at him, they would've noticed that Ghost Rider had let slip a tear from where his eyes should be.

Ghost Rider walked up to the admissions desk, and stopped, pulling out of a pocket of his jacket, a tightly sealed envelope,

"A man will be coming in an ambulance, make sure he gets, and whatever you do, don't mess with his hair, understand?" Ghost Rider said, delivering his instructions to the nurse, who nodded,

"Thank you, a friend of Miss Possible will be stopping by in the morning, to check on her condition, and to see her." Ghost Rider said, and with that, he turned, and walked out of the ER, disappearing into the night.

* * *

_The following morning:_

Kim had awakened with a huge headache later that night, as well as a small, cigarette shaped burn in the linen on her bed, she realized, almost immediately what it had meant, Ron had transformed into Ghost Rider, and he had cried at seeing what had happened, she had no idea that the spirit that inhabited Ron's body during this time was capable of such emotion,

'_Remind me to note that somewhere later_.' Kim thought, as the door to her room opened, and Ron walked in,

"Morning, KP, you gave me a pretty good scare last night." he said, taking a seat by her bed,

"Well, that's what happens when you don't watch what's coming your way, nasty concussion, but, the doctors say that I should be fine." Kim replied, smiling widely,

"We got Motor Ed, that's probably the most that came out of last night." Ron commented,

"More like Ghost Rider got him." Kim replied, pointing to the small burn hole in her sheets.

_In a room a little further down the hall:_

The well built man awoke with a start, finding himself in a hospital bed, a note laying on the stand next to him,

'_Wow, what a weird dream, seriously._' Motor Ed thought to himself, thinking that it was all a dream, he opened up the tray table next to his bed, and prepared to check out his hair in the mirror, and to his utter horror, he noticed that his hair was in braided pigtails, completely humiliated, he let out a high-pitched, girlish scream, feeling that the note had something to explain why his hair was in it's current style, he opened it, it read one simple sentence:

_Next time; think Michael Jordan_

_Back in Kim's room:_

Kim and Ron were chatting about the mission the previous night, when a girlish scream caught their attention, Ron immediately turned his head, and began laughing,

"Okay, Ron, spill. What's so funny?" Kim said, giving Ron the look that told him that he was busted,

"Sounds like Motor Ed just woke up, and looked in a mirror." Ron said through gales of laughter,

"What did you do to him?" Kim asked,

"Nothing, to him, to his hair, different story." Ron said, still laughing,

"What did you do?" Kim said, a devilish smile creasing her lips,

"Well, let's just say, Swiss Miss comes to mind." Ron replied, grinning like a Cheshire Cat,

"Oh, no, you did **_NOT_** go there." Kim said, laughing,

"I couldn't help it, GR has a natural comedic side to him." Ron explained, still laughing,

"I suppose you left him a warning." Kim said, now looking at Ron,

"Oh, yeah, next time, it **_ALL_** comes off." Ron replied, still smiling.

* * *

_The following Monday at school:_

Kim and Ron had just walked into the school, and had reached their lockers, when Bonnie walked up to them,

"Okay, Ron you can cut the act, I know that it was you that saved my bacon the other night." she said, boring holes through Ron's chest,

"What are you talking about, Bonnie?" Ron asked,

"I followed you and Kim to that junkyard last night, and I **_SAW_** you transform into that thing." Bonnie replied,

"_Shh_, quiet, do you want the whole school to find out?" Ron asked,

"What are you talking about?" Bonnie asked,

"I think it's time I told you, since you already know most of it." Ron said, then, he began to tell Bonnie about the transformations into Ghost Rider,

"Are they painful?" Bonnie asked, remembering the screams that Ron was letting out as he had transformed,

"As homemade sin." Ron replied,

"So, why go through with it?" Bonnie asked,

"Look, Bonnie, I know this is not a good time to explain, but this thing that takes over my body during the transformations is something that can handle the job a little better than me sometimes." Ron said, now looking Bonnie in the face,

"Okay, so, what do you want from me?" Bonnie asked,

"Your silence." Ron said,

"Why?" Bonnie asked,

"Think about it, Bonnie, I've already put three people in the hospital, if they ever found out the truth, they'd kill all three of us just to find out how to work the motorcycle." Ron said,

"So, are you saying that I'M in danger too?" Bonnie asked,

"Now that you know the truth, which I need to tell you again, it's too important, don't go blabbing about what you saw in that junkyard, if I find out otherwise, my ghostly little friend is going to pay you a little nighttime visit, get it?" Ron said, driving home his point by slamming his hand, palm out, into the locker next to Bonnie's head,

"Yeah, I got it." Bonnie said, turning, and walking away, not bothering to look back at the two teenagers behind her,

"How did Bonnie find out?" Kim asked,

"I have a feeling that she's been tailing us since the night I let it slip." Ron replied, sighing, and resigning himself to the worst, before long, the whole school would end up finding out that Ron Stoppable was Ghost Rider, he knew that he'd never be able to live that down.

* * *

_Short Chapter, I know, but this is a set up, in the next, the original Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze pays an unexpected visit to Middleton, to "purge" Ron of the evil demon that resides in his body, only to find out that the spirit actually lives in the motorcycle, and the real identity of Ghost Rider is revealed for the first time._

_Please keep the reviews coming,_

_**Doug**_


	6. Chapter 5  Johnny Blaze

**Chapter 5**

**Johnny Blaze**

The small private jet landed at Middleton International Airport gracefully, but what stepped out looked everything but in place in a private jet, his long blond hair fell down his back in waves, ending at about mid back range, and the goatee on his face made him look like a biker who was out of place walking the taramac through the airport.

His name was Johnny Blaze, and he came to Middleton for one purpose, to rid Ghost Rider from his current host.

Many years ago, Johnny Blaze had sold his soul to Mephisto in exchange for his foster fathers' life. His foster father, "Crash" Simpson, survived the cancer that had been killing him, but had died a week later in a motorcycle stunt accident. During that time, Mephisto had taken Johnny's soul, and replaced it with the demon spirit Zarathos. Every night after that, Johnny Blaze turned into Ghost Rider, agianst his will.

Once he was able to rid himself of this unwanted spirit, he continued to keep close watch for his return, and it was only a week ago that he had gotten wind of a fiery being that resided in the shadows of the night in the Tri-City area, and was able to link the appearences to the purchase of a motorcycle from a junkyard a month before then, the motorcycle had been purchased by a young man known as Ron Stoppable, and he was considered a hero around town, the life partner, and sidekick of teen hero Kim Possible, but more recently, Kim Possible had been seen in the company of Ghost Rider, which drew even more attention to Johnny Blaze's concern that Ron Stoppable had become possessed by Zarathos,

'_I need to take care of this before it's too late, and Ron Stoppable is lost to the world forever._' he thought as he walked faster down the tarmac, and out to a waiting taxi.

"Where to?" The driver asked, once Johnny had settled into the back seat,

"Middleton Lodge." Johnny replied, handing the driver a hundred dollar bill, and motioning for him to drive.

"You're the boss." the driver said, now looking at the hard case that Johnny was clutching onto, as though his life depended on it,

"What's in the case?" the driver asked,

"It's better you didn't know." Johnny replied,

"What's your name?" the driver asked,

"Johnny." Johnny replied, his eyes never coming into contact with the driver,

"How long are you staying in Middleton?" the driver asked,

"You ask a lot of questions, are you always this nosy?" Johnny asked, staring hard at the driver,

"I guess you could say that I'm overly curious." the driver replied,

"**_TOO_** curious, if you ask me." Johnny replied, lapsing into silence.

* * *

_Middleton Park, the same day:_

Ron Stoppable, and his girlfriend, Kim Possible was enjoying a relaxing picnic in the park, when a taxi caught their attention, inside of it, sitting in the back seat, was a man that neither of them had ever seen, he had long blonde hair, and a biker style goatee that could give wrestler Rick Steiner a run for his money,

"Well, that's different." Kim commented, staring at the cab as it passed by where they were sitting in the grass,

"What's so different about it, KP, it's just another tourist, probably come to Middleton to enjoy the year round skiing." Ron replied, looking at the passenger in the cab. Something in the back of his mind told him that he would end up seeing this man again, very soon.

* * *

_Later that night:_

Ron was out cruising the street alone, when something caught his eye, movement in the trees, he looked around, and saw the same man that he had seen earlier in the back of a taxi,

'_Weird,_' he thought to himself, now turning his attention back to the road, '_Why would he be out this late?_'

His thoughts were interrupted, when he looked down at the gas cap on his motorcycle, it was glowing, but not as brightly as it normally did when he and Kim went on a mission, he looked back again, and noticed that the man was gaining on him,

'_What is this guy up to?_' Ron thought, popping the throttle open a little more on the motorcycle he was riding, the 80 cc Harley engine roared to life, and the bike took off down the road like a cork out of a bottle, Ron continued to keep looking behind him, noticing that this man was gaining on him the entire time,

'_Get off my six, dude, I'm getting fed up with the follow the leader thing_.' he thought, now turning sharply, and into a grassy patch near the edge of the road, effectively hiding, so that he could make the transformation to Ghost Rider without being seen.

Johnny had lost Ron after he had made the turn into a small, dead end road, to his right was a small grassy patch that was dark, and overgrown,

"Perfect place for him to hide." Johnny said, walking up to the thick underbrush, then, from out of nowhere, a long chain came hurtling toward him, he barely had time to move out of it's way,

"Who are you?" Ghost Rider asked, walking slowly toward Johnny,

"You know damned well who I am, Zarathos." Johnny said, speaking the real name of the original Ghost Rider,

"Zarathos? I'm afraid you got me confused with someone else." Ghost Rider replied, now looking at Johnny like he lost his mind,

"Not hardly." Johnny said, now pulling out a sawed off, pump action shotgun, and taking aim at the ghoulish spirit, who was taking a bead on him as well.

Both fired off at the same time, Ghost Rider hurtling a ball of hellfire at Johnny, while at the same time, Johnny fired off two rounds from his shotgun, the slugs just seemed to bounce off Ghost Rider, while Johnny's body seemed to absorb Ghost Rider's hellfire blast,

"That was interesting." Ghost Rider said, now staring at what had just happened,

What?" Johnny asked,

"Your body just completely absorbed one of my most powerful blasts, and it didn't leave a mark on you anywhere." Ghost Rider said, unbelieving at what he had seen,

"Did it?" Johnny asked,

"Yeah, it did," Ghost Rider responded, "I think we'd better talk before we end up killing each other."

After a few hours of talking, Ghost Rider convinced Johnny that he was not Zarathos, and that he was something else,

"What exactaly are you?" Johnny asked, once Ghost Rider had made his intentions that he did not wish to fight clear,

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain, but I'll try, I'm more of a fallen angel, attempting to earn my way back into God's graces, so that I can return home." Ghost Rider explained,

"How, by killing, and maiming every human you come into contact with?" Johnny asked,

"No," Ghost Rider said, his voice held a blunt edge to it, "I only harm those that have harmed others, my penance will not allow me to do otherwise."

"Penance?" Johnny asked,

"This is my punishment for the crimes I committed while in heaven, and in order for me to return, I have to prove my worth to go back to where it all began for me." Ghost Rider explained,

"So, you were put here to fight crime to repay an old debt?" Johnny asked,

"Something like that." Ghost Rider explained, trying his hardest to make Johnny believe him. Johnny had already confessed to him, why he thought he was Zarathos,

"I just thought you were a part of my past that was better left out of this world, and to never roam the streets, alive, or dead, again." Johnny explained,

"I can understand why you don't trust me, then, but you have to believe me, I have no intentions of doing you harm, that's **_NOT_** what I'm here for." Ghost Rider replied,

"So, what do you think happened to me after absorbing that fireball?" Johnny asked,

"Well, more than likely, you'll find yourself imbued with powers similar to mine, you have the ability to shoot hellfire from your shotgun, as well as the ability to conjure your own mystic motorcycle whenever you need it, unlike me, you can walk around in the daylight, for me, to show up while the sun is up, would be my death sentence, along with my master." Ghost Rider explained,

"So, you're a night rider, then, like Zarathos." Johnny said, not expecting a response,

"I guess so, but I'm the complete opposite of Zarathos, I have no intentions of hurting the innocent, the vengeance of those to fall innocently is my power, to avenge their deaths, or suffering at the hands of those that did them wrong." Ghost Rider said, reflecting on what Johnny had relayed to him,

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't completely trust you." Johnny said,

"I can understand why you wouldn't. All those years, thinking that you were helping, when you weren't.That would be too scary." Ghost Rider commented, his hand rubbing his bony jaw.

* * *

_The following morning:_

Ron stopped off at Kim's house early, since it was a Saturday, he was going to try to spend a weekend with Kim, without being interrupted by Wade,

"Ah, an entire day. Just you and me, together, no hassles, and no tweebs to look after." Kim said, getting off the back of Ron's motorcycle at the mall, and following her boyfriend into the large building,

"Speaking of that, what did the 'rents do with Jim and Tim?" Ron asked,

"Oh, they're spending the weekend with Aunt June, and cousin Larry." Kim said, a devilish smile crossing her lips,

"Ooh, that's harsh." Ron replied,

"Oh, yeah, but they deserve it this time." Kim said, a wide smile crossing her face,

"What did they do now?" Ron asked,

"Oh, they're still grounded for stealing dad's J-200 rocket fuel." Kim said,

"That was almost two months ago." Ron said, the shock of what Kim had just said sinking in,

"Yeah, but four projects were grounded because of it, and dad lost a 250,000 dollar raise over it." Kim said,

"I guess, if I were your father, I'd be a bit P.O.'ed about it too." Ron said, now smiling, and taking Kim's hand in his.

After two hours of shopping, the two lovers decided to go watch a movie,

"And the darkest seats in the balcony we can find." Kim replied, smiling devilishly,

"O-kay." Ron replied, for some reason, Ron figured out early on, that whenever Kim wanted seats in the balcony, she wanted to do some heavy duty necking, and this time was going to be no exception,

'_Fasten your seat belt, Stoppable, you're going to be in for a long one_.' Ron thought, smiling.

But at that time, the familiar tones of the Kimmunicator rang out,

"Hold that thought, Ron." Kim said, digging into her pocket, and pulling out the Kimmunicator, holding it at eye level,

"What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim asked, as soon as she had hit the call button,

"Looks like Monkey Fist is at it again, Kim." Wade replied,

"What did monkey boy do this time." Ron asked, glaring at Wade,

"Oh, just stole a few very priceless artifacts from the Middleton Museum." Wade replied,

"I'll need video feed, and a complete list of what was stolen, Wade, I we're on the way." Kim replied, now grabbing Ron's hand,

"C'mon, hot rod, time to go." Kim said, pulling Ron to the exit of the mall, and out into the bright afternoon sun.

* * *

_**YES ! **Chapter 5 is finished, next up, Monkey Fist gets more than he bargained for, when he tangles with Ghost Rider, wielding The Lotus Blade,_ _and Ron gets a few minutes to talk to Johnny, before he returns to L.A. Man, this story just keeps on getting the reviews, I'm almost at 50, and I'm only about halfway finished._

_Now, to give a few shout outs:_

_**DragonMaster4381: **Who gave me the idea of having GR use The Lotus Blade._

_**Classic Cowboy: **Who's been a big help with this, and many other stories I have done._

_**Captainkodak1: **He's given me a lot of good ideas on this one._

_**Dareon Blackoak: **he's also given me quite a number of ideas with this, and several other stories._

_And several others, but there's one in particular, that I'd like to dedicate this chapter to:_

_**hbkfan84: **Who shipped out to Army basic training a couple of weeks ago. To him, and to all who have served our armed forces, I dedicate this chapter to you all, you are the true heroes in my book._


	7. Chapter 6  Attack of the Monkeys

**Chapter 6**

**Attack of the Monkeys**

Ron quietly shut his motorcycle off near the entrance to the museum, and looked over at Kim,

"Strange, the cap isn't glowing, Monkey Fist must not be anywhere around ." Ron said, smiling over at Kim,

"Well, let's hope not ." Kim replied, smiling slightly, even though she knew, and approved of Ghost Rider, it still unnerved her to watch the transformation .

The two teens walked up to the door of the museum, and walked in, Kim was beginning to worry, the door had been unlocked, which had immediately set off alarm bells in her head,

'_This has got to be a trap, there's no other explanation for it_ ' she thought, her thoughts must've set something in Ron off, because she watched him go rigid in place quickly,

"We spoke too soon, KP, Monkey boy is here ." Ron said, looking around a corner, only to meet a hairy hand to his chin, which knocked him straight out the door,

"**_RON !_**" Kim yelled, heading for the door, only to be cut off by several monkey ninjas,

"Kim Possible, so nice to see you, and without the buffoon to help you out ." Monkey Fist said on a cackle of mad laughter,

"Oh, I think I can handle you by myself ." Kim said, hoping to buy Ron some time to get to the bike, and call Ghost Rider .

* * *

_Outside of the museum :_

Ron shook his head, and turned to look at his bike, he noticed the gas cap glowing brighter than it had ever done over the last month, running up to the bike, he quickly touched his hand to the gas cap, and began the transformation .

"Hold on, Kim, I'm on the way ." Ron said, as the pain of the transformation began to wrack his body .

At the same time, inside of the museum, all was not going well for Kim, as it appeared that there was another ninja working with Monkey Fist, he had called himself Fukoshima, and for some reason, he seemed to have a huge score to settle with Ron, whom he continued to call '_outsider_',

"Look, I don't know who you are, nor do I care, but if you go after Ron at this moment, you might just regret it ." Kim said, facing Fukoshima, who pulled out a set of matching daggers,

"I intend to kill you first, before I deal with the outsider ." Fukoshima replied, then, from through the glass doors of the museum, a ghostly motorcycle crashed through, followed by another, on one of them, stood Ghost Rider, on the other, stood the man that Ron had told Kim about, Johnny Blaze,

"Tell me something, Rider, is this the kind of people you have to put up with daily ?" Johnny asked,

"And then some ." Ghost Rider responded, his leering face staring straight at Monkey Fist,

"Which one do you want ?" Johnny asked,

"I want monkey boy, you can have the lackey ." Ghost Rider responded, his eyeless sockets boring a hole into the monkey master,

"Cool, I haven't been in a good knuckle buster in a long time ." Johnny said, cracking his knuckles, and smiling an evil smile that made Fukoshima's blood run cold,

"Alright, Fiske, it's you, and me, right here, right now, it ends tonight ." Ghost Rider said, the flames that surrounded his skeletal form growing higher, and brighter, but they had quickly changed color from standard red, to a deep cobalt blue.

"I am not intimidated, Ghost Rider, if you want me, you will have to kill me ." Monkey Fist said, drawing a kitana,

"Wrong move ." Ghost Rider said holding his right arm in front of him, the air around him was suddenly filled with a bright blue light, as a beautiful kitana, with a white handle appeared in his gloved hand,

"The Lotus Blade, you can't call it, only one person can ." Monkey Fist said, amazed that this apparition had been able to summon a weapon he had thought destroyed,

"True, only one person can, and it's not you, Fiske, I hope you enjoy this fight, because it will be your last on Earth ." Ghost Rider said, now taking up a fighting stance.

Monkey Fist quickly charged the skeletal form of Ghost Rider, only to have his move blocked by the Lotus Blade, soon, the two men were a blur of swords, and fists, each trading expertly mastered blows, and combinations, while on the other side of the room, Johnny Blaze was finally tiring of Fukoshima, as the ninja wannabe came in for another charge, Johnny pulled out his shotgun, and leveled it off at the young Japanese man's chest,

"Say goodnight, son ." Johnny said, pulling the trigger, and watching as a ball of hellfire hit his foe in the chest, knocking him out, Johnny then walked up to Kim, and pulled her out of the building,

"Johnny, what are you doing ?" Kim asked, attempting to pull her arm free from Johnny's vise-like grip,

"Ron told me to get you out of here, and that's what I'm doing ." Johnny replied, as they made their way out of the building,

"You know about Ron ?" Kim asked, for answer, Johnny nodded his head, and proceeded to tell his story to her, by the time Johnny had finished, Kim was in shock,

"He said that his first master was dead ." Kim said,

"He is. Dan Ketch died about five years ago, and now, Ron is the new master of Ghost Rider, the third incarnation of the dark hero of vengeance ." Johnny said,

"So, you were the original ?" Kim asked,

"Well, not in this incarnation, but, yeah ." Johnny said, leaving the conversation at that .

* * *

_Inside of the museum :_

Ghost Rider was quickly tiring of Monkey Fist, there was no way he would let the monkey master walk out of this building, but he had decided to spare his life, so, he placed the Lotus Blade into it's scabbard, which was strapped to his back, and pulled out his shotgun,

"It ends **_NOW !_**" Ghost Rider bellowed, and pulled the trigger, three times, he pulled the trigger, and three times, a huge ball of hellfire hit Monkey Fist in the chest, the third finally knocking the monkey master to the ground, battered, bloodied, and defeated .

"I warned you, Fiske, tonight, you will spend eternity in prison, destined to never see the light of day as a free man again ." Ghost Rider said, as he turned, and walked out of the building .

* * *

_Outside of the museum:_

Kim and Johnny were standing near the doors, as Ghost Rider walked out of the building, looking slightly worn out,

"Well, how did it go ?" Johnny asked,

"He'll be cooling his heels in prison for a long, long time for this one, I guarantee it ." Ghost Rider said, he appeared to be in good spirits,

"How are you feeling, Ron ?" Kim asked,

"A little tired, but happier than I've felt in a long time, Kim ." Ghost Rider explained, he appeared to be smiling slightly,

"Huh, that's funny ." Johnny said, looking at the skeletal specter, with a knowing grin,

"What's that ?" Ghost Rider asked,

"I never would've thought you capable of smiling ." Johnny said, chuckling slightly,

"You'll find that I'm full of surprises ." Ghost Rider said, laughing .

* * *

_The following afternoon:_

Kim and Ron were at the airport, seeing Johnny off, today, he would return back home to L.A.,

"You sure you won't come back some time, Johnny ?" Kim asked,

"Maybe, we'll see ." Johnny said,

"You got to, man, at least come back for our graduation ." Ron pleaded,

"Alright, you got me, I'll come back for your graduation, who knows, I just might come back to live here someday ." Johnny said, smiling,

"_Attention Flight 390 from Middleton, to Los Angeles International is now boarding, please have your ticket ready when you reach the gate, thank you, and have a nice flight ._" Came a voice over the P.A. system,

"Well, that's my flight, gotta go, now you two take care of yourselves, you hear ?" Johnny said, looking back at Kim and Ron as he turned to leave,

"We will, we promise ." Kim and Ron said in unison, watching as Johnny disappeared into the crowd,

"Well, we'd better get going, there's some things we need to do, KP ." Ron said, taking his girlfriend's hand, and walking out of the airport .

Kim smiled to herself as they walked out of the airport, Ron's life had begun to come full circle, he had defeated one of his toughest enemies, and was ready to face whatever challenges that came his way, this had been brought out by Ghost Rider, Kim could not thank the spirit enough, but she also knew that Ron had this in the entire time, it just needed to find a release to bring it to the surface, and it was because of Ghost Rider, that Ron was the man he had become.

* * *

_And there's chapter 6, so far so good, sorry for the delay, but I have been a little busy over the last few months ._

_Next up chapter 7, things are going to start heating up, how, well, I have no intentions of giving that away, you'll just have to stick around, and find out ._


	8. Chapter 7:  Missing

**Chapter 7**

**Missing**

A week had gone by since Kim and Ron's last mission, and things seemed to relax somewhat for the two teenagers, they had been able to spend a lot of time together, and were enjoying it immensely. But, there was something going on.

Somewhere in the back of Ron's mind, he just felt that this was going to be the calm before the storm,

"No big, Ron, we've handled worse before, haven't we ?" Kim asked, when Ron brought this up with her,

"Yeah, but for some dumb reason, this feels different, almost surreal ." Ron explained,

"You're overreacting, Ron ." Kim replied, smiling at her boyfriend,

"I'm just trying to look out for our best interests, Kim ." Ron said, smiling slightly, his fears far from abated,

"Well, don't worry about it, hon, we'll face it when the time comes," Kim replied, setting Ron a little more at ease, "now, get back to your necking with some enthusiasm ." she finished, pulling Ron's face to hers, and locking lips in a kiss that could easily steam fog proof windows .

* * *

_Later that night :_

Ron was in his room adding the finishing touches to his outfit, a blue suit, and white shirt, with the collar open, when there was a knock at the door,

"Ronald, you'd better get down here ." came his father's voice from the living room. Feeling that Kim had come early, Ron dashed down the stars, and reached for his brand new trenchcoat, when he stopped short of the front door, Monique was standing in front of the door, with a depressed look on her face,

"Monique ? What's going on ?" Ron asked, looking into the tear streaked face of his best friend,

"It's Kim, Ron, she's disappeared ." Monique replied, looking at Ron with apprehension, almost wondering why Kim's mother had sent her here to tell Ron this,

"Disappeared ! Disappeared when ?" Ron asked,

"About twenty minutes ago, no one seems to know where she went ." Monique said,

"What about Wade, did you think to call him ?" Ron asked,

"No need to, her Kimmunicator is at home, there's no way to track her ." Monique said,

"Oh yes there is ." Ron said, smiling,

"What do you mean ?" Monique asked,

"Remember the ring I gave her about three months ago ?" Ron reminded Monique,

"That beautiful diamond that she's never taken off since ?" Monique asked,

"That's the one," Ron said, still smiling, when he noticed Monique's blank look, he elaborated, "I had a tracking device embedded into the base of the setting, I can track her using a G.P.S. with no problem ."

"Nice one, Ron, but, what if she dosen't want to be found?" Monique asked,

"Doubt it, Monique," Ron said, his eyes now set in a menacing stare, "there's no way that Kim would've left the house without the Kimmunicator, or at least told me where she was going, no, someone took her ."

"How are you going to find her ?" Monique asked,

"That's the easy part ." Ron said, now walking to the garage, with Monique following closely behind,

"What do you mean, '_that's the easy part_,' Ron, talk to me ." Monique said, as she saw Ron walk up to his motorcycle, she looked twice at the cap, which was glowing an almost blinding white,

"I should warn you, Monique, you might not like what you're about to see." Ron said, gulping loudly, he was doing something that Ghost Rider had warned him not to do, he was about to call the dark specter in the middle of the afternoon,

"Uh . . . Ron, what are you gonna do ?" Monique asked, as she watched Ron's hand inch closer to the gas cap.

When his hand made contact with the cap, an unearthly roaring came from within the motorcycle, as it began to change shape, but the most unnerving part, was watching Ron, as the skin began melting off his bones, he was screaming as though whatever was happening to him was extremely painful, within seconds, a naked skeleton was standing in front of Monique, which slowly began to form it's own clothing, a heavy black biker's jacket, black leather pants, and black leather gloves, the flames coming from underneath the jacket seemed intense, but the temperature around Monique never seemed to rise,

"Uh . . . Ron, you still with us ?" Monique asked, not wanting to approach this thing standing in front of her,

"Don't be afraid ." Ghost Rider said, now looking at Monique,

"What are you ?" Monique asked,

"It's kind of hard to explain ." Ghost Rider said,

"I'm all ears ." Monique replied, crossing her arms across her chest,

"Alright, I'll tell you everything, but I need to ask some patience on your part ." Ghost Rider said.

He sat down on his motorcycle, and began to explain about everything, the motorcycle, his banishment from heaven, his penance for the crimes which he committed in heaven, and Ron, finding the bike, and releasing him,

"So, you're not Ron ?" Monique asked,

"I am, but I'm not, I can't walk this Earth without a human host, so, part of me is Ron Stoppable ." Ghost Rider explained,

"But, you should be dead right now, if what you told me is true ." Monique said,

"Why ?" Ghost Rider asked,

"Because it's the middle of the afternoon, you said that you were a spirit of the night ." Monique replied, now throwing the curtains in the garage open wide, to let in the mid-afternoon sun,

"Wow, this is weird ." Ghost Rider said, his hands stroking his bony chin,

"What do you mean ?" Monique asked,

"Apparently, the power that Ron carries as a mortal is strong enough for me to walk around in daylight hours, this is a different experience for me ." Ghost Rider explained,

"What do you mean, '_the power that Ron carries_,' I'm gonna need a better explanation than that ." Monique said, still standing, unafraid, in front of the ghoulish form of the spirit of vengeance,

"You mean, Ron's never told you ?" Ghost Rider asked,

"Never told me what ?" Monique asked,

"You've heard of the Mystical Monkey Power, haven't you ?" Ghost Rider asked,

"Yeah, Ron has it ." Monique replied,

"Well, he has it in high quantity, and it must be strong enough to protect both of us, in order to allow the transformation in daylight without killing him, or me ." Ghost Rider explained, now opening up the garage door, and holding out his hand,

"Do you have the Kimmunicator on you ?" Ghost Rider asked,

"Yeah ." Monique said, reaching into a pocket of the green cargo pants she was wearing, she pulled the Kimmunicator out of the pocket, and handed it to the fiery specter, who placed it into a pocket on his jacket, then, he extended his bony, gloved hand to Monique,

"I'll take you home, tell no one of what you've seen today ." Ghost Rider said,

"Thanks ." Monique said, talking his hand, and getting on the back of the fiery bike.

Ghost Rider popped the throttle on the bike, and took off down the road, leaving a trail of fire behind him as he went, they had arrived at Monique's house within seconds,

"So, where to now ?" Monique asked,

"To the Possible's for clues, then, I'm going to find Kim ." Ghost Rider explained,

"Right, happy hunting ." Monique said, turning for her front door, she turned around for one last look, only to notice that Ghost Rider had disappeared as quickly as he had gotten there .

* * *

_At the Possible home : _

Kim's parents were frantic, it was completely unlike their daughter to just vanish like she had done, Mrs. Possible had sent Monique to Ron's home only a few minutes ago, in hopes that he could get in contact with the new person that Kim seemed to travel with, The Ghost Rider, as if on cue, they saw a flickering light in their driveway, and the telltale sound of the mystical motorcycle of the spirit of vengeance, who seemed to walk through the door without leaving a mark on it,

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Dr. P." Ghost Rider said, using a phrase that only Ron had ever used,

"**_RON?_**" Mrs. Possible gasped out, looking at Ghost Rider with her mouth open,

"Well, partially ." Ghost Rider said, his ghastly face seemed to split into a kind of sheepish grin,

"Okay, I'll go with that, now, why are you here ?" Mr. Possible asked,

"Clues ." Ghost Rider said simply,

"You know where Kimmie's room is ." Mrs. Possible said,

"Yeah, this will only take a minute ." Ghost Rider said, walking up the stairs to Kim's bedroom, as he entered the familiar room, something caught his attention, a broken window, and Kim's computer was still on,

"Wade, check this out ." Ghost Rider said, pulling the Kimmunicator out of his jacket pocket, and panning the device so that Wade could get a full look at the room,

"What are you thinking, Rider, kidnaped ?" Wade asked,

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking ." Ghost Rider replied, as he walked up to Kim's computer, he sat down at the chair, and began to review the history that Kim had left,

"What are you doing, Ron ?" Wade asked over the Kimmunicator,

"Looking over Kim's history, see what she was doing before she disappeared ." Ghost Rider replied, his hands flying over the keyboard so fast, they appeared to be black blurs,

"Got it, she was writing in her diary, you got the password, Wade ?" Ghost Rider asked, the young genius smiled,

"Yeah, it's Mrs. Ronald Stoppable ." Wade said, chuckling,

"Oh, good one ." Ghost Rider said, typing in the password, and reading Kim's last diary entry:

_8 November_,

_Tonight, I go on my third real date with Ron, and I intend to savor every minute of it, I can never get enough of being with him, he's so gentle, and the perfect man, his little secret can be unnerving at times, but, since it is a part of him, I can accept it, and learn to live with it, still, maybe a day will come, when neither of us have to go on a mission, then, we can do all of the things that normal teenagers do, we can relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa_

"Looks like that's all of it ." Ghost Rider said,

"Yeah, she wasn't even half finished with it ." Wade explained,

"I noticed," Ghost Rider replied, then, it hit him, "Wade, I need you to get a G.P.S. lock on the frequency I'm sending you at this moment, get a location for me ."

"On it ." Wade said, smiling, as his fingers began flying over his keyboards, a few seconds later, he stopped,

"Looks like a small island in the middle of the North Atlantic ." Wade said,

"The Seniors ?" Ghost Rider asked,

"No, Dementor, strange, we just got a hit on the site ." Wade said,

"Patch it through to the Kimmunicator, Wade ." Ghost Rider said,

"Hello, Ghost Rider, I got something here that you might want ." Professor Dementor said, looking at the ghoulish specter,

"You'd better pray for a quick death, DeMenz, because you're not getting it from me ." Ghost Rider said,

"On the contrary, my ghoulish looking friend, you have twenty four hours to get to my island, or Kim Possible dies, slowly ." Dementor said on a cackle of mad laughter,

"You'd better start praying to whatever deity you believe in, because when I get there, your ass is mine ." Ghost Rider said, pushing a button on the Kimmunicator, and ending the link. Wade's face soon appeared on the screen,

"I checked out the island, Ron, it's crawling with Dementor's henchmen, looks like a trap ." Wade said,

"It's a chance I'll have to take, Wade," Ghost Rider said, his voice full of anger, and determination, "I'm going after the slime ball ."

* * *

_Uh-oh, looks like Dementor is going to regret messing with Ghost Rider, someone's going to get messed up real bad._

_Stick around for chapter 8, it's really going to get interesting now ._

_As always, keep the reviews coming,_

_**Doug**_


	9. Chapter 8  The Penance Stare

**Chapter 8**

**The Penance Stare**

Professor Dementor was pacing in front of the small cell where Kim Possible was being held, he knew that the plans he had were costing Kim every ounce of restraint she had not to reach through the bars, and tear him apart,

"Perhaps you wonder why I've decided to take on your boyfriend, the matter is simple," Dementor said, as he continued to pace, "with Ghost Rider out of the way, I can continue my plans for world domination."

"If you can take Ghost Rider out, and what makes you think that he's my boyfriend?" Kim said, her courage hitting her in the form of defiance,

"It is another simple matter, your boyfriend, Stoppable, buys a new motorbike, and suddenly, you are seen in the company of Ghost Rider, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together." Dementor replied,

"Well, I guess you _appear_ to have the bases covered." Kim replied, her smile fading slightly, she knew that if Ron were to make the transformation in the daylight, he would die, and for some strange reason, Dementor seemed to have found that out as well.

* * *

_Outside of Professor Dementor's lair:_

Ghost Rider was looking at the fortress-like structure that loomed in front of him, a feeling of foreboding filling him to the core, he reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out the Kimmunicator,

"Wade, I don't like this, it's too quiet for Dementor." he said,

"I know, were you able to locate any life forms inside?" Wade asked,

"Haven't checked it out yet, gimme a minute?" Ghost Rider replied, he then turned, and stared at the building, being a spirit, he was able to pick up thermal readings through the concrete walls of the lair,

"I got something, _shorty_ is pacing in front of someone else, near the sub levels, its gotta be Kim, I'm going in after them, Rider out." The specter said, stowing the device back into his jacket, and mounting his chopper, he quickly started it up, and cracked open the throttle, immediately, the sound of a thousand moaning people filled the air, as he began gaining speed, heading for the thick concrete wall in front of him.

* * *

_Inside the lair :_

Dementor was pacing like a caged tiger, when the sound came to him, a loud moaning, as though someone were being tortured just outside the walls, the sound continued to get louder, until the wall in front of him exploded, and disappeared in a pall of dust,

"Knock, knock ." Ghost Rider said, standing tall in front of the height challenged madman,

"So, the famous Ghost Rider shows his face, how ironic, how predictable ." Dementor said, a smirk on his face,

"I wouldn't think of springing the trap you have planned for me, Dementor, your lackeys will end up regretting it if you do ." Ghost Rider said,

"I'll be the judge of that, _get him !_" Dementor bellowed, suddenly, henchmen came out of every dark corner of the room,

"Don't say you weren't warned ." Ghost Rider said, as he jumped off his chopper with the agility of a gymnast, and began to knock down henchman after henchman, it was at this time, that Dementor had decided to try to make a break for it out of a concealed door behind Kim's cell,

"Oh, no you don't," Ghost Rider said, sealing the door shut, and containing Dementor in a field near Kim's cell, "I have plans for you, _shorty_ ."

Shortly after this, Ghost Rider felt something heavy collide with his head, he turned around to see the biggest, most muscular man he had ever clapped eyes with,

"Oh, great, a steroid junky, just what I needed ." Ghost Rider said, the pointed teeth being touched by a tongue of flame as he opened his mouth wide, and shot a ball of hellfire at his victim,

"Oh, that's got to hurt." he commented, watching the big man hit the wall opposite, and slide down it like some cartoon bad guy,

"Get me out of here ." Kim said, looking at Ghost Rider,

"On it." Ghost Rider said, and, tracing a huge hole over the bars, he was able to melt a hole for Kim to walk out of,

"What are you going to do to him ?" Kim asked,

"What I have planned for him is not for your eyes, now leave, wait for me at the beach, I'll be there in a few minutes ." Ghost Rider said, his soft voice suddenly becoming hard, and cold,

"Okay, but don't kill him, please ." Kim begged,

"There are things in this world that are worse than death, Kim, now go, wait for me at the beach, then, we'll get off the sandbar ." Ghost Rider said, the voice was knowing, and it reassured Kim that he had no plans to kill,

"What are you going to do to me ?" Dementor asked, suddenly panicked,

"Dementor, you have made people around the world suffer because of the things you have created, and now, it's time for you to feel their pain, and suffering, prepare for your life as you know it, to end ." Ghost Rider said, the voice was suddenly cold again, the winds in the small room had suddenly picked up as though a howling storm was building up, and a bright orange glow began to emanate from the ghoulish specter's eye sockets, Dementor let out a scream as a bright golden light hit his face, the pain and suffering of his victims suddenly forcing their way into his mind, all at once, magnified ten times their intensity,

"This is your penance, Dementor, and now, it will be paid upon you, **_IN FULL !_**" Ghost Rider shouted the last two words, as Dementor's screams reached a deafening crescendo, then, just as suddenly as it had began, it ended,

"The payment has been made, vengeance has found it's way to you, Dementor, now, I leave you ." Ghost Rider said, to a gibbering Professor Dementor, the former super villain was curled up into a fetal position, and spouting off incoherent gibberish .

* * *

_at the extraction point :_

Kim was getting worried about Ron, and in particular, Professor Dementor, she had heard Dementor's blood curdling screams coming from the lair, but they ended just as quickly as they had started, she had thought for sure that Ghost Rider had broken his promise to Kim, when he came walking down the beach to her, carrying the height challenged villain under his arm like some kind of pet dog,

"Now, you stay here, and be a good boy ." Ghost Rider said, dropping Dementor on the beach, and walking to Kim, who had a worried look on her face,

"What happened to Dementor ?" She asked, looking at the mask wearing villian,

"Lost his mind ." Ghost Rider said,

"How ?" Kim asked,

"Last resort weapon I have at my disposal, it's called The Penance Stare, it causes the person that lives it to relive the worst moments of their victims, all at once, magnified by ten ." Ghost Rider explained,

"And you put him through it ?" Kim asked,

"If anyone deserved it, it was him, KP, Dementor has killed, and tortured more innocent people than you can count on both hands, several times over, he's as low as they come ." Ghost Rider explained,

"So, you played judge, jury, and executioner on him ?" Kim asked,

"No, but I can tell you this, he'll be incompetent to stand trial by anyone's standards, he's gonna spend the rest of his life in a rubber room ." Ghost Rider said,

"Okay, so, he's not dead, then ?" Kim asked,

"Like I said, there's things that are far worse than death ." Ghost Rider explained, slowly turning back into Ron, a few seconds later, the transformation was completed, and the form of Ron Stoppable stood in front of Kim, smiling brightly, and holding out his hands for his girlfriend,

"KP, I was so worried about you ." Ron said, taking Kim into his arms, and holding her tightly,

"Thanks for coming after me, Ron ." Kim said, smiling into Ron's chest,

"No big, KP, you'd have done the same for me ." Ron replied, pulling the Kimmunicator out of his pants pocket, he punched the talk button,

"Call in a ride for us, Wade, we need to get home ." Ron said, leading Kim to his motorcycle at the other end of the beach, near where Ghost Rider had dropped Dementor,

"What about Dementor ?" Wade asked,

"Call GJ's psychiatric unit, they're gonna want to evaluate him ." Ron said,

"Why ?" Wade asked,

"Severe paranoia, delusional, talks like he's in the middle of a meeting for the instutionalized ." Ron said, not saying anything more,

"On it, Ron ." Wade said, before signing off,

"Why didn't you tell him about what you did, Ron ?" Kim asked,

"The less people that know, the better off it'll be, Kim ." Ron said,

"Are you going to make me forget what I heard, or something ?" Kim asked,

"No, KP, you have the right to know, just do me one favor, don't say anything to anyone ." Ron replied, smiling .

Kim nodded, and sat down, waiting for the GJ transport that would take them back home, she knew it would be a long time before she could allow to sink in what she had heard tonight, Ghost Rider had the power to drive a person into insanity by forcing them to relive the pain, and suffering of their victims.

Kim shuddered at this thought, but allowed it to simply wash out of her mind, it would be one more thing she would have to store into her memory about what the Ghost Rider really was, the more she came to know this spirit of vengeance, the scarier he became, but so far, to her, he was as gentle as a lamb, she began to wonder, since he shared a common body, brain, and bond with Ron, that maybe that was the reason why he treated her with such love, and caring, she decided to think on this later, after they finally got home, and could relax .

* * *

**_FINALLY ! CHAPTER 8 IS COMPLETE_ **_ Sorry for taking so long with this one, but I kinda got stuck with it, this particular chapter has been rewritten a full total of 25 times since I posted chapter 7and it has been one of the hardest chaps to put together, now, it's completed ._

_As always, please read, and review,_

_**Doug**_


	10. Chapter 9:  A Symbiotic Bond

**Chapter 9**

**A Symbiotic Bond**

_**Let's Get Rocked**_

_by_

_**Def Leppard**_

_(Spoken) Do ya wanna get rocked?_

_Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get,_

_I'm your average, ordinary kid,_

_Happy to do nothin', in fact that's what I did,_

_I got a million ways to make my day, bur daddy don't agree,_

'_Cause when I try to get away, he says,_

_He got plans for me,_

_**Get your butt up out of bed,**_

_Stop buggin' me,_

_**Get up and move your sleepy head,**_

_A-don't shake my tree, he says,_

_**Mow the lawn, **who, me,_

_**Walk the dog,** not my style, man,_

_**Take out the trash,** A NO WAY!_

_**Tidy your room, **c,mon, get real,_

_I'm sorry, dad, gotta disappear,_

_Let's get the rock outta here,_

_Seven day weekend, up all night,_

_In at the deep end, hang on tight,_

_Won't take a minute, it won't take long,_

_So get on in it,_

_Come on, come on, come on,_

_Let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Let's go all the way, get it night and day,_

_Come on, let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_I'm your average, ordinary everyday dude,_

_Drivin' with my baby, to ger her in the mood,_

_She's dialin' through my radio, and I'm a-ready to make my move,_

_What she got ain't rock-n-roll, and it really blew my groove,_

_It was,_

_**Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven,**_

_IT MAKES ME WANNA SCREAM!_

_**Bach,Tchaikovsky, violins,**_

_**Turn it off**, that ain't my scene,_

_Well, I'm sorry girl, here's my confession,_

_(Spoken) Suppose some rock's out of the question,_

_Seven day weekend, up all night,_

_In at the deep end, hang on tight,_

_Won't take a minute, Won't take long,_

_So, get on in it, come on, come on, come on,_

_Let's get let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Let's get let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Let's go all the way,_

_Get it night and day,_

_Come on, let's get let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Oh, all I wanna do is take a ride into the blue,_

_Everytime I wanna rock, get stuck inside my room,_

_Heaven knows I'm sick and tired of dancin' with this broom,_

_(Spoken) I feel lucky today,_

_(Whistle) Hey, look at that man,_

_Do ya wanna get rocked,_

_(Sung) Do ya wanna get . . . rocked,_

_Oh, it won't take you a minute, it won't take that long,_

_Yeah,_

_So get on, and get with it, Oh,_

_Come on, everybody,_

_Let's get let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Get on top baby,_

_Let's get let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Do ya wanna, DO YA WANNA!_

_Let's get let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Ger on top of it,_

_Let's get let's get let's get let's get rocked,_

_Love to rock your body baby, Let's let's let's let's get rocked, yeah,_

_Let's go all the way,_

_Let's do it night and day,_

_Let's get out and play,_

_Rock the night away,_

_Come on let's get let's get let's get let's get,_

_Rocked,_

_(Spoken)Do ya wanna get rocked?_

A week had gone by since Kim and Ron had gone to Professor Dementor's island lair, and so far, they knew that Global Justice's top Psychiatrists had declared the pint-sized villain as mentally incompetent to stand trial, due to Ghost Rider's Penance Stare,

"I don't know why you had to do that, Ron." Kim stated for what seemed like the millionth time that week,

"Kim . . . I already explained it . . . I wasn't fond of the decision myself, but like I said, if anyone deserves it, it was Dementor." Ron stated, as they walked into Bueno Nacho, that's when Bonnie Rockwaller walked up to the teenage lovers,

"Ron, we got a problem . . . a **_BIG_** one." Bonnie stated,

"Keep your voice down, Bonnie," Ron sated, giving a hard look that made the tanned beauty whither underneath his gaze, "now . . . what's the problem?"

"Tara's gone missing." Bonnie stated,

"Tara, what happened to her?" Ron asked,

"I don't know . . . that's why I'm asking you to find her." Bonnie stated,

"When was the last time you saw her?" Kim asked,

"Kim, duh, last time anyone saw her was cheer practice last night." Bonnie replied,

"I'm warning you right now, Bonnie, if this is a trick, or a trap, you're gonna live to regret it, trust me." Ron stated looking hard at the bronzed beauty with a death glare so reminiscent of the ghoulish specter he can turn into, it gave Bonnie the shivers,

"Why won't you believe me?" Bonnie asked, her voice panic stricken,

"Because Kim and I both have been tricked by you one time too many . . . that's why." Ron stated,

"You've got to believe me, you're Tara's only chance, you've got to find her." Bonnie pleaded, that's when Ron decided to try something,

"Hang on a second." Ron stated, summoning up a Mystical bolt that found it's way to Bonnie's head, and into her mind, he began to leaf through her thoughts, and memories like a book, then, he found what he was looking for,

"Alright, Bonnie, now, I believe you, we'll find her." Ron stated, walking away from the tanned cheerleader, and leading Kim away from her as well,

"What'd you find out?" Kim asked,

"Well, Bonnie left out a few key points, Tara didn't just disappear, KP, she's in some major trouble." Ron stated,

"How so?" Kim asked,

"Ever hear of someone named Carnage?" Ron asked,

"Doesn't ring any bells, but he sounds dangerous." Kim stated,

"More than you know, KP, Carnage is actually two entities in one, the man behind the symbiote is named Cletus Cassidy, he's a convicted serial murderer from New York, the red outfit he wears is a symbiotic body of sorts, there's only two things that can harm the symbiote, ultrasonics, and fire." Ron stated,

"Well, surely the F.B.I. are out looking for him." Kim stated,

"They are, as well as several different organizations, including Global Justice, and so far, they haven't been able to pinpoint him, there's only one person, or, should I say persons, that can do that." Ron stated,

"Who?" Kim asked,

"A symbiote called Venom." Ron stated,

"Him, I've heard of, Ron, he's completely loco, why would you want Venom to come to Middleton, and go postal on everyone here?" Kim asked,

"Carnage is a spawn of Venom, KP, and it's been Venom that's been tracking him down, he feels himself responsible for letting Cassidy become bonded with the symbiote in the first place, I got a friend that told me as much." Ron explained,

"Any help other than Venom you plan to call for this?" Kim asked,

"I got a couple people in mind, yeah." Ron stated, smiling,

"Well . . . who?" Kim asked,

"Johnny, and a photographer friend from New York, trust me, KP, you'll want to have Pete around." Ron stated, smiling,

"Okay, I'll go with that." Kim stated, smiling.

* * *

_The next day:_

Kim and Ron were waiting at Middleton International Airport for two flights, one from Los Angeles, and one from New York, the announcement came over the intercom system a few minutes after they arrived at the airport for the people they were supposed to pick up,

"_Attention, American Airlines flight 507 from LAX is now unloading at gate A23, all persons waiting for passengers from this flight, please go up to the ticket counter, thank you._"

"That's Johnny's flight, KP." Ron stated, as they made their way to the gate, and stopped at the ticket counter,

"I'd like to see if there's a passenger on this flight." Ron said as he approached the counter,

"What's his name?" the agent asked,

"John Blaze." Ron stated,

"Blaze, let me see," the agent said, sliding her finger down a computer screen, she stopped on a name, and looked back up at Ron,

"Yes, he's on this flight Mr . . ." the agent asked, but Ron didn't answer, instead, it was a voice from directly behind him,

"Stoppable, Ron Stoppable." the unmistakable voice of Johnny Blaze sounded out,

"J Blaze, what's up, big guy?" Ron asked, turning around,

"Not too much, not a whole lot to do back in LA, except short work as a stuntman here and there." Johnny replied, smiling,

"Yeah, well I got something you can really sink your teeth into, buddy." Ron stated, dropping the smile, and taking on a dead serious expression, instantly, Johnny knew that Ron was no longer playing around,

"Talk to me, Ronnie-boy." Johnny said, taking on a serious expression himself,

"Later, we still have two more coming from New York." Ron stated, his voice nearly hushed,

"Right." Johnny stated, nodding as they looked up at the arivals and found two planes coming in from New York,

"Which plane did Pete and Eddie say they were coming in on?" Kim asked, as she saw the two planes,

"TWA flight 043 from JFK." Ron stated,

"According to this, that plane is due in about ten minutes at gate C32." Johnny stated,

"Yeah, I see that." Ron replied, nodding as he walked with Kim and Johnny to the concourse, and up to the gate,

"How may I help you?" the ticket agent asked, looking at Ron as he approached the counter,

"I'm just wanting to know if a couple of people got on the plane from JFK when it left New York." Ron stated plainly,

"What are their names?" the agent asked,

"Edward Brock, and Peter Parker." Ron replied,

"Let me see . . . yeah, they boarded TWA flight 043 from JFK to Middleton International last night." the attendant stated firmly,

"Thanks." Ron replied, and he quickly found a seat in the waiting area for the plane to land.

The plane landed on time, and Ron quickly found Eddie Brock, a tall blonde, built along the lines of Brick Flagg, around his neck, dangled a camera,

"You can put the camera away, Eddie, this isn't a photo chance, this is something else." Ron stated bluntly,

"Alright, what's up, Ron?" Eddie asked, looking at Ron with a quizzical expression,

"Did you see Pete on the plane by any chance?" Ron asked,

"Yeah, he was two rows behind me." Eddie stated,

"Coolio." Ron replied, as another person made their way up to the small knot of people, he was tall, well built, and had a head full of wavy brown hair, his sapphire blue eyes danced with a kind of comical air about them,

"Pete, what's up, buddy?" Ron asked, as he turned to face the young man,

"Hey, Ron-man, what's going on, you sounded kinda urgent on the phone, like it was life and death, you had MJ going like crazy." Peter Parker stated, looking hard at Ron,

"Come on, we'll get back to the house, and I'll explain everything." Ron stated, leading the group out of the airport, and to the waiting station wagon he had borrowed from his mother, his face once again had that dead serious look about it, as though the situation at hand was, as Peter had put it, '_life and death_'.

* * *

_Later, at the Stoppable residence:_

Ron had finished telling the assembled group what he was told by Bonnie, and who had taken Tara, immediately, Eddie jumped to his feet,

"**_CARNAGE! HERE!_**" he shouted,

"Yeah, Cassidy's in town, guys, that's why I called you, and Pete, you two are familiar with how he operates, I called Johnny here, because I need a little extra firepower." Ron stated, looking at the crowd,

"How do you expect me to find him, Ron, my sense is no good against him." Peter stated,

"I know, Pete, but I need you on this one, trust me, I need you and Eddie both, so, you're gonna have to work as a team." Ron stated,

"Oh, alright, but if Eddie steps out of line, just once . . ." Pete began, but Eddie cut across him,

"Don't worry about me, Parker, we'll behave, if you behave." Eddie stated,

"Will you two do a hormone dump, and listen, Cassidy has a hostage, and I need **_BOTH_** of you to keep your heads in the game, here." Ron stated, looking first at Eddie, then to Peter, a nasty scowl on his face,

"With Carnage taking a hostage, he's probably going to end up getting tired of her, that means we've got to work fast if we plan to get her out alive." Eddie stated,

"That's the general idea, Eddie, bring her home alive, and take Cassidy out of the picture for a few days." Ron replied,

"I'd like to take him out of the picture permanently." Peter stated, driving his fist hard into his left palm, the resounding **_SMACK_** made Kim wince slightly,

"Just cool your jets, Pete, the main objective is to get Tara out." Ron stated,

"How do you plan on doing that, Ron?" Eddie asked,

"Let's just say I have an ace-in-the-hole." Ron replied, smiling,

"Yeah . . . that ain't no lie." Johnny added, smiling as well.


	11. Chapter 10:  The Bonding That Symbiotes

**Chapter 10**

**The Bonding That Symbiotes Do**

_**Roll On (18 Wheeler)**_

_by_

_**Alabama**_

_(Spoken over CB radio) **Hey, how 'bout ya, Alabama, roll on.**_

_Roll on Highway, roll on along,_

_Roll on daddy, 'till ya get back home,_

_Roll on family, roll on crew,_

_Roll on, mama, like I asked ya to do,_

_And roll on eighteen wheeler, roll on,_

_**ROLL ON!**_

_Well, it's Monday mornin, he's kissin' mama goodbye,_

_He's up, and gone with the sun,_

_Daddy drives an eighteen wheeler, and he's off on a Midwest run,_

_And three sad faces gather 'round mama,_

_They ask her when daddy's comin' home,_

_Daddy drives an eighteen wheeler, and they sure miss him when he's gone, **Yeah, they do,**_

_But he calls 'em every night, and he tells 'em,_

_That he loves them,_

_He taught 'em this song to sing,_

_Roll on highway, roll on along,_

_Roll on daddy, 'till ya get back home,_

_Roll on family, roll on crew,_

_Roll on mama like I asked, ya to do,_

_And roll on eighteen wheeler, roll on,_

_**ROLL ON!**_

_Well, it's Wednesday evenin', mama's waitin' by the phone,_

_It rings, but it's not his voice,_

_Seems the Highway Patrol has found a jackknifed rig,_

_In a snow bank in Illinois,_

_But the driver was missin', and the search had been abandoned, 'cause the weather had everything stalled,_

_And they had checked all the houses, and the local motels,_

_When they had some more news, they'd call,_

_And she told them when they found him to tell him, that she loved him,_

_And she hung up the phone, singin',_

_Roll on highway, roll on along,_

_Roll on daddy, till ya get back home,_

_Roll on family, roll on crew,_

_Roll on mama, like I asked ya to do,_

_And roll on eighteen wheeler roll on,_

_Mama and the children will be waiting up all night long,_

_Thinkin' nothin' but the worst is comin',_

_With the ringin' of the telephone,_

_Oh, but the man upstairs was listenin',_

_When mama asked him to bring daddy home,_

_And when the call came in, it was daddy on the other end,_

_Askin' her if she had been singin' this song, singin',_

_Roll on highway, roll on along,_

_Roll on daddy, till ya get back home_,

_Roll on family, roll on crew,_

_Roll on mama, like I asked ya to do,_

_And roll on eighteen wheeler,_

_Roll on highway, roll on along,_

_Roll on daddy, 'till ya get back home,_

_Roll on family, roll on crew,_

_Roll on mama, like I asked ya to do,_

_And roll on eighteen wheeler, roll on,_

_**ROLL ON!**_

_Eighteen wheeler,_

_Eighteen wheeler,_

_Eighteen wheeler,_

_Eighteen wheeler,_

_**ROLL ON!**_

"We still don't understand why we had to wait until nightfall before making an attack on this place." Venom stated, looking up at the large eight story office building, the upper floors were incomplete, and there was a huge chain link fence all around it,

"Simple," Ron replied, "it's too risky for me to play my ace in the daytime."

"You're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do, are you?" Johnny asked, looking over at Ron with a questioning glance,

"I don't have a whole lot of choice, J Blaze." Ron stated, walking up to his motorcycle, the cap now glowing brightly,

"What's with the cap on the bike, Stoppable?" Venom asked,

"Curious?" Ron asked,

"Yes, we are." Venom stated,

"Watch, and learn." Ron stated, smiling as his hand came into contact with the cap, the transformation took place within a few seconds, right in front of the startled faces of Venom, and Spider-Man, Johnny, and Kim didn't flinch, due to the fact that both had seen, or experienced the transformation into Ghost Rider themselves,

"Alright, you four, are you ready for this?" Ghost Rider asked, as Venom winced slightly from the flame covered specter,

"Don't worry about it, Venom, I'm not going to hurt you, unless you step out of line with me." Rider stated,

"We have no quarrel with you." Venom stated, now standing to his full height,

"Alright, let's get in there, get Tara, and get out, Pete, Venom, I need you to take a rear entrance, Johnny, you go through the right side, Kim, the left, I'll take the front myself." Rider stated,

"On it." came the resounding reply from three, but Kim remained at Ron's side,

"You never did tell me how you met those two, Ron." Kim stated, looking at Ghost Rider,

"Remember when I was the photographer for the school newspaper, Kim?" Rider asked,

"Yeah, if I remember correctly, you left the staff because you didn't feel that photography was in your blood." Kim replied,

"Well, the school paid me to go to a photographer's convention, Eddie and Pete were working as photographers for The Daily Bugle in New York, I found out who they were by accident, when the place came under siege by a group of terrorists." Rider explained,

"I can't believe that you know two real live heroes." Kim stated, awed that Ron could be so resourceful,

"Don't say that in front of Venom, KP." Rider stated,

"Why not?" Kim asked,

"His head's big enough as it is, I don't think I could handle it if someone called him a hero." Rider stated, on a cackle of laughter,

"Alright, I'm going in," Kim stated, she leaned up, as Rider allowed the fire around his skull to die out for a second, as Kim planted a kiss on his bony cheek, "take care of yourself in there." she added, before disappearing around the other side of the building,

"Alright, time to set this place on fire." Rider stated, as he walked into the front door, and disappeared from street view.

* * *

_At the rear of the building:_

Two figures walked through the dark building, and down a deserted corridor, one of them was wearing a red and blue costume, with a heavy spider theme, while the other was dressed in black from head-to-foot, with white patches on his hands, and over his eyes, his mouth was not much more than a large gash in his face, with sharp, dagger-like teeth sticking out in all directions, his pointed tongue was lashing at his face, while drool, and spittle flew everywhere with each flick of his tongue,

"Alright, Eddie, you want to calm down?" the red and blue clad Spider-Man stated to his cohort,

"He's close, Parker, we can sense him." Venom stated, looking at Spider-Man with a careful eye,

"Yeah, well, just remember the plan." Spidey stated,

"We know, we know, find the girl, and get her to safety, while Ron takes care of Carnage." Venom stated, as they walked up to a fork in the corridor,

"Well, looks like we part company here, Eddie, remember, if you find her, let Ron know immediately." Spidey stated, as he headed for the corridor on his left,

"We're not **_THAT_** stupid, Parker." Venom replied, heading for the corridor on his right,

"Could've fooled me." Spidey stated in a low voice, as he turned his back to Venom, and disappeared down his chosen path,

"Leave it to Parker to crack jokes in a crisis." Venom stated, shaking his head. Ever since he had started working more and more with Spidey, he found him to be, at the least, a joker with no sense of timing.

Venom had continued down his chosen path, and so far, found nothing but emptiness behind every door,

"This is getting tiresome, where is she?" Venom thought out loud, when he heard a muffled voice coming from behind a door to his left,

"Is someone in there?" he asked out loud through the door, again, he heard a muffled shout,

"Only one way to find out." Venom stated, taking a few steps back from the door, he ran at it, and lowered his shoulder just before impact, the door splintered underneath the brute force.

Venom looked around, and found a pretty blonde sitting on the floor, she was bound, and gagged, her long blonde hair hid most of her face, and the accumulated dirt made her look as though she had spent days in here, undiscovered, he quickly walked up to her, and pulled the gag out of her mouth,

"Are you Tara King?" Venom asked, looking at the lithe blonde at his feet,

"I . . . I am." Tara replied, scared at what she was seeing,

"We won't hurt you, a mutual friend sent us." Venom stated, Tara nodded,

"Where are we going?" she asked,

"Out of here," Venom stated, reaching for a small earphone device, he stuck it where his ear should be, and began to speak in a clear voice, "Venom to Ghost Rider, come in."

"_This is Ghost Rider, whatcha got, Eddie?_" came the reply,

"We found the girl, and we're getting her out of here, how goes things on your end?" Venom asked,

"_Not good, I'm not able to find Cassidy anywhere._" Rider replied,

"Keep looking, they're around here somewhere . . . we can feel them." Venom explained,

"_Copy that, Eddie, get Tara and get her out of here, Kim should be meeting up with you shortly_." Rider explained,

"Copy that, Rider, we'll see if we can find Kim, and get to the rendezvous spot, Venom, out." Venom replied,

"Come with us it you want to live." Venom stated, now extending a hand to Tara, who took it, but she was unable to leave the room, due to a large, heavy chain, attached to a collar around her neck,

"Leave it to our other to come prepared." Venom stated, as he grabbed onto the chain, and bit it in two, he then grabbed Tara by the arm, and took off out of the room.

* * *

_On the fifth floor of the building:_

Kim was walking carefully, and couldn't find anything, she knew the instructions were to find Tara, and get out of the building before Carnage had time to know anyone was there, but there was something in the back of her mind that kept telling her that this was a set up of some kind, that's when she heard that Venom had found Tara, and that she was supposed to meet up with him outside, and proceed to the rendezvous point,

'_Excellent, now we can get out of here._' Kim thought, taking off for the stairs she had climbed up, no sooner had she turned the corner, than something red streaked by her, and hit her square in the chest,

"Thinking of leaving so soon?" said a high-pitched voice that made her blood run cold, another flash of red, and a loud, painful scream, and suddenly, all was dark.

* * *

_On the fourth floor, near the fire escape:_

Johnny Blaze was walking through the maze of corridors, and so far, had found nothing, then, he heard that Venom had done his job, and had found Tara in an auxiliary closet on the third floor,

'_That's one floor down, better get there, and cover the big brute's back._' he thought, that's when he heard a loud, painful scream from the fire escape,

'_Oh, no, this isn't good, that sounded like Kim._' Johnny thought, skidding around the corner, he kicked open the fire escape door, and saw something red flash past him, he turned, and saw the person they were supposed to be hunting, Carnage, over his shoulder, was Kim,

'_Ron is going to go completely ballistic when he finds out about this._'Johnny thought, tearing off after Carnage, who had suddenly turned back, and disappeared from view,

"Dammit!" he shouted, coming around the corner, he kicked open the fire escape door, and found himself in a huge office of some type, there was only one desk, and there were several papers strewn all over it, he walked up to it, and rifled through the papers, the more he read, the more unsettled he became,

"Ron's gotta see this." he stated, digging into the pocket of the trench coat he was wearing, and pulling out a small comm device, he shoved it into his ear, and called out,

"Blaze to Ghost Rider, come in."

"_Go, J Blaze, whatcha got?_" came Rider's reply,

"I got something you might want to see, where's your present location?" he replied,

"_Second floor, near the Schwab offices_." Rider replied,

"Stay there, I'm on my way down to you." Johnny replied, running out of the room at top speed, with several of the papers in his hands.

* * *

_On the third floor:_

Tara and Venom were running for the fire escape, but Tara had to stop, and get her breath back, she leaned against the wall, and began panting heavily,

"Did Carnage say what he wanted?" Venom asked,

"What did you call him?" Tara asked,

"We called him Carnage, although we didn't choose the name for him." Venom replied,

"No, he just said that I was supposed to be bait to call out someone named Ghost Rider." Tara explained,

"He's about to receive a very rude awakening, come on, we need to get you out of here, move." Venom stated, grabbing Tara, and hoisting her up onto his shoulders, he quickly jumped through the fire escape door, and bounded down the stairs to the second floor, where he could feel the presence of Ghost Rider, he came to a halt next to the ghoulish specter, and looked him over quickly,

"About time you got here, Eddie, hey, T-babe." Rider commented

"Where's Carnage?" Venom asked,

"I don't know, couldn't find him." Rider replied,

"We don't like this, you were supposed to take care of Carnage, while we rescued the girl." Venom stated, reminding Rider of the plan,

"I know that, Eddie, I'm not stupid." Rider explained,

"Could've fooled us." Venom stated, as Blaze came skidding around the corner,

"Thank God you're still here, Rider, we got a big problem." Blaze stated,

"How so?" Rider asked,

"It's Carnage, he's got Kim." Blaze stated,

"**_WHAT!_**" Rider shouted, the blazing aura around him gaining in brightness, and intensity,

"Yeah, he saw me, and ran, I lost track of him on the eighth floor." Blaze stated,

"Is that all?" Rider asked,

"No, I found this." Johnny stated, handing Rider the papers he had found sitting on the desk earlier,

"Uh-oh, this is not good." Rider stated,

"What is it?" Venom asked,

"Apparently, he's found a way to synthesize symbiotes, and he's looking for a human guinea pig." Rider stated,

"And he's found one." came Spider-Man's voice from directly above them,

"How so?" Rider asked,

"Uhh . . . guys, you'd better turn around." came Blaze's voice, in an almost steady manner.

Everyone turned at once, and what they saw made them all freeze in their tracks. Standing in front of them was what appeared to be a symbiote, the angry red color made them all think it was Carnage, but it was the long red hair that caught everyone's attention,

"Oh, no, Kim." Rider stated, in an almost soft voice, very unlike his own,

"We are no longer Kim Possible, now, we are Scarlet, and we are your **_DOOM_**, Rider." the symbiote stated, in a voice not unlike Kim's,

"Eddie, get everyone out of here, now." Rider stated, in an uncharacteristically calm voice,

"What are you planning, Rider?" Venom asked,

"I'm gonna deal with this myself." Rider stated, as the flaming aura around him pulsed brighter,

"We know who you are, Rider, and we can, and will beat you, for the glory of our master." the symbiote calling itself Scarlet stated, as it charged after Rider, who dodged her with a very simple sidestep,

"I know, Kim, and if you want to fight, then you're leaving me with no choice . . . I really wish there was another way." Rider stated, his voice filled with remorse for what he was about to do, Scarlet tried another pass at Rider, who quickly grabbed onto the symbiote, and crashed through a window, to the ground, some thirty feet below, where the fight began,

"Someone want to tell me what's going on?" Tara asked, looking down on the fight, watching the flaming specter called Ghost Rider attack Kim with a fury she had never seen from a living being,

"Right now, Kim is being controlled by the symbiote that attacked her." Spidey stated,

"We think we can explain it better than anyone here." Venom stated,

"I'm listening." Tara stated, her arms crossed across her chest,

"She's got a lot of Kim in her." Johnny stated, shaking his head, trying hard not to laugh,

"Well, when a symbiote bonds with a human host, they can feasibly control the host, kind of like a puppet, or marionette, they pull the strings, while the human hosts acts, the host has no free will." Venom stated,

"You would know all about that, wouldn't you, Venom." Spidey replied,

"Cut us some slack, webhead, that was a long time ago." Venom replied,

"So, Kim's being controlled by some kind of parasite?" Tara asked,

"In a round about way, yes." Venom stated,

"Why not just tear it off her?" Tara asked,

"It doesn't work that way," Venom explained, "only two things will force a symbiote from its human host . . . fire, and ultrasonics."

"So, why doesn't Ghost Rider just hit her with some kind of fireball, God knows he's got enough to do the job." Tara stated,

"There's more to it than that, Tara," Johnny explained, "Ghost Rider is not what he seems to be."

"What are you talking about?" Tara asked,

"Think about it, Tara," Spidey stated, looking at the lithe blonde, "Did Rider say anything to you, as a kind of clue who he is,words, or movements that you would associate with a single person?"

"Well, there was a comment . . . **_RON!_**" Tara stated, her eyes round as coins,

"She catches on fast, doesn't she?" Venom commented, while he watched the fight from above.

* * *

_At ground level:_

Ghost Rider was having a hard time fighting the symbiote, it had all of Kim's skills, with magnified agility, and speed, he was having a hard time dodging, and keeping up with its movements.

"Kim . . . don't force me to fight you." Rider stated,

"You act as if you have a choice." Scarlet replied,

"No . . . I act as if **_YOU_** have a choice." Rider responded, sending a ball of hellfire at Scarlet, which she dodged quickly, she caught Rider with a webshot, and sent him to the ground, hard, he quickly called forth his demonic chains, and lashed it like a whip, tripping Scarlet up, he quickly kipped up into a standing position,

"You got your webs, I got my chains, I think that makes us even." Rider stated, snapping the chain like a whip, Scarlet ducked, as the chain dug out a large chunk of the building behind the symbiote, and sent it crashing to the ground,

"Ooh, careful, Rider, you don't have the money to pay for the damages." Scarlet stated, as she charged at Rider again, Rider quickly hit her with a vicious clothesline, making her hit the ground hard, she kipped up, and back flipped out of the way, as the flaming aura around Rider pulsed, and began burning a bright white,

"**_PLAYTIME'S OVER!_" **Rider roared, calling forth the power of The Lotus Blade, he then reached behind his back, and pulled his shotgun,

"Do you think that crude noisemaker is going to work on us?" Scarlet asked, as she plugged up the barrel of the shotgun with webbing,

"And do you really think that webbing is going to clog my shotgun?" Rider responded, as he leveled off the shotgun, just as Scarlet moved in close, Rider pulled the trigger at point blank range, there was no time for Scarlet to react, as the ball of hellfire hit it's target.

Scarlet screeched loudly, and was thrown back, as she looked up, the symbiote parted from around Kim's face,

"Ron." she said, looking up at Ron with pained eyes,

"Who am I talking to?" Rider asked, that's when he heard Venom, who had landed some distance away,

"Don't let them trick you, Rider, don't lose your focus." he shouted,

"Ron . . . it hurts, please." "Kim" said, in a pained voice,

"May God forgive me." Rider said, as he cut loose with a massive hellfire blast, it didn't find it's target, as Scarlet rolled out of the way,

"I've had **_ENOUGH OF THIS!_**" Rider shouted, as he once again leveled his shotgun at Scarlet, who had ran herself into a corner,

"You win this round, Rider, but we still have your precious Kimmie." Scarlet stated, as she attempted to get away,

"I don't think so." Rider stated, just as Scarlet made her jump, a set of demonic chains grabbed her across the ankles, sending her crashing back down to Earth,

"Don't think you can break those, you will definitely get a major shock if you try." Rider said almost lazily, as he walked up to the symbiote, and, with a lazy wave of his hand, he created a demonic cage of chains, that wrapped the symbiote up where she stood,

"You haven't heard the last of us, Rider, we **_WILL_** come back." Scarlet yelled,

"On the contrary, I have." Rider replied, as he raised his hand to the heavens, immediately, a large column of hellfire engulfed the symbiote where it stood, completely obscuring it from view, while he leveled off The Lotus Blade in the direction of the column of fire, the blade began to vibrate violently in his hand, as it shot forth a powerful ultrasonic wave, that impacted with the column where the symbiote was trapped, the resulting screams sounded as if they were echoing from hell itself.

"Now, what were you intending to do with my queen?" came a voice from behind Rider, as a set of crimson knives found their way into his back, Rider turned, keeping his concentration on the column of fire, as he pulled the daggers from his back,

"Didn't anyone tell you not to play with sharp objects, Cassidy?" Rider stated, as he trapped the red monster in a demonic cage, and fired off several blasts of hellfire at it, knocking the symbiote out where it stood, he then turned, and concentrated all his energies on Scarlet,

"You no longer have a choice in the matter, Scarlet, you will leave Kim's body, or I will incinerate both of you where you stand." Rider stated, he watched, as a trail of red left from the cage where he had trapped the symbiote, but inside of the flames, there was still a body, he quickly shut the flames down, and released the cage, once the flames died, he saw Kim, her eyes closed, her limp form fell to the ground with a loud thud,

"**_KIM!_**" Rider yelled, running to Kim's side, unfortunately, he loosened his grip on the cage that was binding Carnage, and he escaped into the night, with Venom hot on his heels,

"She's in shock, separation from the symbiote." Spidey said, as he reached the scene, remarkably, there were no burns on Kim anywhere, it was as if the fire didn't exist around her, not even her clothes had been harmed,

"Why isn't Kim all burned up?" Tara asked, as she looked down,

"The symbiote kept her from even getting a singed hair." Spidey explained.

Ghost Rider leaned forward, and reached into the cargo pocket of Kim's pants, a few seconds later, he pulled out the Kimmunicator, and pushed the call button,

"Wade, get an ambulance out to the new financial building on forty-fifth, and Vine, Kim needs help, like yesterday." Rider stated,

"How bad?" Wade asked,

"Severe shock." Rider explained, as he sat down, and began to transform back into Ron,

"They're on the way, Ron." Wade explained, as Ron looked into the small monitor, and smiled,

"Thanks, Wade." Ron replied, shutting the device off.

* * *

_Middleton Memorial Hospital Emergency waiting room:_

Ron was pacing the floor like an expectant father, when the doors to the waiting room opened, and Kim's parents walked in,

"How bad, Ron?" Mrs. Possible asked, Ron looked up through his tear streaked face, but didn't say a word, the pain in his eyes was enough of a confirmation for them,

"What happened?" Mr. Possible asked, Ron looked up at him, took a seat, and began to explain, with help from Peter, and Johnny, when he was finished, both of Kim's parents looked at Ron, but said nothing,

"Ann, why don't you go find out how Kimmie is, I'll stay here with Ronald." Mr. Possible stated, to which his wife nodded, and walked out of the room, and out of sight,

"I believe you, Ronald, even though this sounds like one of your far-fetched stories, I still believe you." Mr. Possible stated,

"It don't help much." Ron replied, as he turned away, and began crying again, that's when a voice caught his attention,

"Ron." came Kim's voice form the waiting room, she was in a wheelchair, but she was very much awake,

"**_KP!_**" Ron yelled, as he took his girlfriend in his arms, and gave her a hug so massive, it was if he never wanted to let go,

"Ron . . . ease up." Kim managed to choke out,

"Oh, KP, I'm so sorry . . . can you forgive me?" Ron asked,

"No big." Kim replied, shrugging off Ron apology,

"Well, the doctors say she's good." Mrs. Possible stated,

"Coolio." Ron replied,

"Just hang on, Ron, she's got to stay overnight for observation, then, she's clear to come home." Mrs. Possible replied,

"I'll stay here with you, KP." Ron stated, to which Kim shook her head,

"Sorry, Ron, doctor's orders, no overnight guests." Kim replied,

"Aww, **_MAN!_** That tanks." Ron replied, kicking at the ground.

* * *

_Four days later:_

Kim had been released from the hospital the following morning, as promised, and for the last three days, Ron had been telling her about the fight they had, while Kim was being controlled by the symbiote, for some reason, Kim couldn't remember any of it,

"I just don't remember it, Ron, it's like that never happened, the last thing I remember is that thing attacking me in the financial building, after that, I woke up in the hospital, the doctors said that might happen, an erasure of part of my memory." Kim stated, as they walked through Middleton Park on a beautiful morning, some four days after the harrowing incident at the still incomplete financial building,

"Well, the thing is that Carnage got away, so did the Scarlet symbiote, Kim, I'm worried that Scarlet is gonna find her way back to you." Ron stated,

"We'll deal with that when the time comes, Ron." Kim stated, as they took a right turn down a small bike path, not noticing a rose colored pool snake it's way from behind a tree, and follow them back to Kim's home.

* * *

_Later that day:_

Ron had dropped Kim off at her house, when a loud beeping in the jacket he was wearing caught his attention,

'_The comm device, I thought everyone gave those back?_' he thought to himself, as he stuck the device into his ear, he was shocked to hear Venom's voice on the other end of the open frequency,

"_Ron, is that you?_" he asked,

"Yeah, Eddie, it's me." Ron replied,

"_Bad news._" Venom replied, his voice sounding urgent,

"What is it?" Ron asked,

"_Your playmate, Scarlet, has found a new host._" Venom stated,

"How so?" Ron asked,

"_We're up in the mountains in Japan, unfortunately, Carnage discovered a school here, and some girl that shares his way of thinking, he implanted the Scarlet symbiote into the girl's body, but a part of it broke off._" Venom stated,

"Yamonouchi, what did you say the girl's name was, Eddie?" Ron asked,

"_Yuki . . . we were visited by an older man, and a young girl named Yori, they knew we were in touch with you, and asked us to relay the message, apparently, this Yuki girl is like a doppleganger to Yori, they're exactly the same, but they think differently._" Venom stated,

"You sure about that?" Ron asked,

"_Duh._" Venom replied, then, he added, "_We saw it with our own eyes_."

"What could you tell from it?" Ron asked,

"_The new symbiote . . . it's a total opposite from it's . . . and we use the term loosely . . . mother, it's intentions are not evil, and it's looking for a like-minded human to bond with._" Venom stated, that's when a dull glow caught Ron's attention, he looked down, and saw the gas cap on his motorcycle glowing,

"Gotta go, Eddie, something's up." Ron stated, turning down an empty alley, as his hand made contact with the gas cap.

* * *

_At the Possible home:_

Kim was sitting on her bed, reading a rather large book that she had taken from the bookcase downstairs, when something suddenly felt different, like she was being watched, for some reason, she found herself drawn toward her closet,

"I know there's someone there." Kim stated, now standing in front of the curtain that separated her closet from the rest of her room, Kim opened the curtains, and began looking hard,

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Kim said, but she was unable to say anymore, as a rose colored something hit her in the face, hard, and knocked her out.

Ghost Rider pulled into the Possible driveway, and shut off his mystical motorcycle, he walked up to the door, and phased through it, this still shocked the Possible family somewhat, as they were still not used to having some ghoulish specter phasing through their front door,

"Ronald, you could knock, like a normal human." Mr. Possible stated,

"Where's Kim?" Rider asked,

"Upstairs, in her bedroom." Mr. Possible stated,

"Stay down here, I'll be back in a few minutes." Rider stated, as he ran into the hallway, and mounted the stairs, he shot up them, and stopped outside of Kim's bedroom door, it was closed, and from all outward appearances, it seemed locked,

"Hmm, Kim should know that a locked door won't stop me." Ron said, in a low voice, as he phased through the door, he suddenly stopped, as he saw a deep rose colored symbiote in the room, Kim's trademark red hair sticking out from the top of the head, he quickly pulled his shotgun, and cocked it loudly,

"Don't even think about moving." Rider stated in a dangerously low voice, the symbiote spun on it's heel, and faced Ron, for some reason, this didn't look like the Scarlet he remembered, there was no gash for a mouth, no dagger like teeth, and no pointed tongue, in fact, there was no mouth at all, nor were there any eyes, Rider hesitated, and in that fraction of an instant, Kim's face appeared out of the rose colored mess,

"**_RON, NO, WAIT!_**" Kim yelled loudly, making Rider jump slightly,

"I don't think so, you fooled me once, I'm not going to give you a second chance." Rider stated, leveling off his shotgun,

"Ron . . Stop it, it's me." Kim stated, as the pink mass faded into Kim's body,

"Make me believe." Rider stated, as he took a seat on Kim's bed, and began a slow reversion back into Ron,

"Ron, don't you get it, this isn't Scarlet, it's the breakaway, it doesn't want to hurt me, it wants to work with me." Kim stated,

"Kim, I'm sorry, but I find that hard to believe." Ron stated,

"Maybe, if I let her talk to you, in her own words, then you might understand." Kim stated, allowing the Rose colored mass to once again appear, and surround most of her body,

"I'm listening." Ron stated,

"Ron . . . Kim is telling the truth, I'm not your enemy." came a female voice, a very soft one, much more gentle that the voice carried by Scarlet,

"Continue." Ron stated, never once letting his gaze fall from the rose colored mass in front of him,

"I was brought about because the Scarlet symbiote bonded with a like mind." the voice stated,

"Is that even possible?" Ron asked,

"Yes, it is, ask your friend, Eddie, he can tell you . . . that's how Carnage came to being, Carnage is a breakaway from Venom." the voice stated,

"Then, you're not controlling Kim?" Ron asked,

"No, it's a kind of relationship, like you and The Ghost Rider . . . you call the spirit when danger is nearby, I can be useful to Kim, by protecting her from danger, but I have no desire to control her, I want to work with her, not control her." the voice stated, Ron could tell that the voice was being completely honest with him,

"I'll let it slide for now, but if I detect a sign of you controlling Kim, I will not hesitate in putting a beatdown on you." Ron stated,

"Fair enough." the voice stated, as the symbiote retreated back into Kim's body,

"Do you believe now, Ron?" Kim asked, sitting down on the bed next to Ron, and placing a gentle hand on his arm,

"To a point, Kim, but it's still kind of dangerous to be bonded to a symbiote, Eddie told me that they're not easy to control." Ron stated,

"That's no big, Ron, I plan to talk to her about it." Kim stated,

"What makes you think it's a she?" Ron asked,

"What male of any kind would choose a rose color as their base, Ron?" Kim asked,

"Fair enough." Ron stated,

"Now, I need your help, I've been trying to find a design that would work for me." Kim stated, looking at the mirror,

"Sure thing, KP." Ron stated, kind of amused,

"You rock, Ron." Kim replied, kissing Ron on the cheek, before stepping into the middle of the room, and trying out several different designs with the new symbiote, until she stopped at one, which exposed her mouth, and part of her nose, but covered her eyes, it also left her long red hair exposed to flow freely down her back, in it's regular setting, it formed a pair of white, elbow length gloves over Kim's arms, and a pair of white, thigh length boots, with a modest heel,

"How's this one look?" Kim asked,

"I like . . . I like a lot." Ron stated, a smile on his face,

"Now, we need to find my little friend here a name." Kim stated,

"Well, seeing that the color reminds me of a rose, what about Rose?" Ron commented,

"She loves it, Ron, she thinks it's cute." Kim replied, a smile creeping over her face, as Rose disappeared back into her body,

"Rose it is, then, well, I gotta jet, KP, remember, we got reservations at Luigi's Italian restaurant tomorrow night, I'll be by to pick you up at five thirty." Ron stated,

"What should I wear?" Kim asked,

"Well, it's our anniversary tomorrow, so, wear something nice." Ron stated,

"Oh, I forgot, a year that we've been dating, I'll be ready, Ron." Kim said, as she watched Ron leave her room, she knew that Ron was not going to believe that Rose was kind natured, until he found out for himself, and that might take a long time to prove.

* * *

_The following afternoon:_

Tonight was to be the night that Kim and Ron were to celebrate an entire year together as a couple, but there was some things that Kim needed to get out in the open with the entity that now shared her body,

"Rose, are you listening?" Kim asked,

"_Yes, Mistress, I'm here, is there something you wish to discuss?_" came a voice inside of Kim's head,

"Yeah, I have a few questions I need to ask." Kim stated,

"_I'll be as truthful as I can be, Mistress, go ahead, and ask._" Rose telepathically replied,

"First of all, Ron told me about what happened with Scarlet, I don't want another repeat of that, I can count on you to not do that, right?" Kim asked,

"_Yes, Mistress, I am the complete opposite of my mother, my soul purpose in life is to protect, and help._" Rose stated, Kim could feel the symbiote smiling, so she felt safe,

"Second point of order, I don't have to worry about you taking me over like Scarlet did, right?" Kim asked,

"_I will never do that to you, Mistress, it is not my intention to rule over you like a slave, I only want to help._" Rose replied, again, Kim felt peace wash over her body, but she also felt that there was something that she wasn't being told,

"You're leaving something out . . . what is it?" Kim asked,

"_Well, being bonded to you, I have kind of developed a crush on Ron . . . forgive me._" Rose stated, rather bluntly,

"No big . . . we share memories, and thoughts, but please remember, I love Ron very much, and I don't want to do anything that would hurt him." Kim replied,

"_Then, it would be safe to say that I think Ron is cute . . . especially when he's in his leather._" Rose replied, Kim could feel the symbiote inside of her blushing heavily,

"It would be safe to say." Kim stated, smiling, then, a familiar male voice called up to her,

"KP, we got six o'clock reservations at Luigi's, we're gonna be late if you don't step on it." Ron stated,

"_Our intended has arrived, Mistress, let's, how do you say it, knock his socks off._" Rose said, Kim could hear the mischievous sparkle in the symbiote's voice when she spoke,

"What do you have in mind?" Kim asked,

"_Allow me._" Rose replied,

"Be my guest." Kim stated, as she stood up from the small stool in front of her vanity, at that point, a funny feeling came over Kim, it passed rather quickly, as she could no longer feel the wind on her legs, she looked down, and saw a beautiful red satin gown, she walked up to the full mirror that was standing in a corner of the room, so she could get a good look.

The dress was a red satin floor length gown, it was a one strap piece which came up over her left shoulder, around her neck, was a red ribbon, tied in a bow at the cleft of her neck, where it blends in with the shoulders, the dress was slit up to the waist on both sides, and had a gradual sloping hem, from left, to right, her hair had been done up, and a beautiful wave put into it, the long back was placed into a high ponytail, and she even had on a small bit of makeup, which made her look very sophisticated,

"_This is gonna blow him away_." Rose stated,

"I hope so." Kim stated, as she walked to the door of her room.

* * *

Ron was pacing the floor in front of the stairs, when he heard Kim's door come open, tonight, he was dressed nicely, in a black tuxedo, red cummerbund, and a red satin bow tie, he had borrowed his father's dress shoes, and spent all last night polishing them, so that they shined, he didn't turn around at first, until a semi-smoky voice caught his attention, 

"Hello, hon, ready to do the town?" Kim said, causing Ron to turn around, as soon as he saw Kim, his jaw dropped to the floor,

"You can thank Rose for the outfit, it was her idea." Kim stated, walking down, and closing Ron's jaw with a very subtle motion,

"Wow . . . KP, you look . . . **_WOW!_**" Ron finally managed to say,

"_Told you it'd blow him away_." Rose stated, making Kim smile.

* * *

_At Luigi's Italian restaurant:_

Kim and Ron walked in, and took a seat near the back of the room, there was a light crowd tonight, and the sounds of the violin permeated the air, this was the place to go on a date, the lights were always kept low, and the soft music was known for making young lovers get close, and cuddle in the booths, Ron took a seat next to Kim at an unoccupied booth, and took a menu in his hands,

"What do you want, KP?" Ron asked, as he could speak Italian, Kim decided to let him order, until a voice in her head spoke out,

"_I can speak other languages, besides English, Kim, I say, go with the Stuffed Manicotti._" Rose stated,

"Stuffed Manicotti sounds good." Kim stated, looking at Ron with a smile,

"Whoa, KP, when did you learn to read Italian?" Ron asked,

"Since I have a certain guest." Kim replied, plucking at the gown she was wearing, it was at this time, the familiar four tones of The Kimmunicator went off,

"Oh, great, just what I didn't need." Kim said, reaching into a small pocket area on the gown that Rose had made for The Kimmunicator, "What's the sitch, Wade?"

"Is _everyone_ listening?" Wade asked, looking at Kim with a knowing expression,

"_Yes, I'm listening_." Rose's voice echoed in Kim's head,

"The gang's all here, Wade, go." Kim stated, a knowing smile crossing her face,

"Motor Ed's at it again." Wade stated,

"Man, that dude's got a skull as thick as a block of cement." Ron said, shaking his head,

"And you, putting his hair into pigtails last time didn't help much, Ron." Kim stated, to which Rose began to laugh,

"_Motor Ed, in pigtails . . . I would've paid real money to see that_." she said in between gales of laughter, which caused Kim to giggle slightly,

"If he wants the Yul Brenner look, then fine by me." Ron stated, looking at Kim, who nodded, and both rose as one, and headed for the door, once outside, Kim looked around to make sure that there were no windows, and quickly changed into her new mission costume,

"Go for the motorcycle, Ron, I'll meet you in the warehouse district." Kim stated, as she shot a webline at the nearest tall building, pulled back, and disappeared from view,

"You'll . . . yeah." Ron stated, running for the motorcycle, where the cap was glowing brighter than Ron had ever seen it before.

"Okay, time to heat things up." Ron stated, as his hand made contact with the cap.


	12. Chapter 11:  The Mechanics Lament

**Chapter 11**

**The Mechanic's Lament**

_**The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore**_

_by_

_**The Walker Brothers**_

_Loneliness,_

_Is a cloak you wear,_

_The deep shade of blue,_

_Is always there,_

_The sun ain't gonna shine anymore,_

_The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky,_

_The tears are always clouding your eyes,_

_When you're without love,_

_Baby, yeah,_

_Emptiness,_

_Is a place you're in,_

_With nothing to lose,_

_But no more to win,_

_The sun ain't gonna shine anymore,_

_The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky,_

_The tears are always clouding your eyes,_

_When you're without love,_

_Lonely,_

_Without you baby,_

_Girl, I need you,_

_I can't go on, on,_

_The sun ain't gonna shine anymore,_

_The moon ain't gonna rise in the sky,_

_The tears are always clouding your eyes, _

_(**tears are always clouding your eyes**)_

_The sun ain't gonna shine anymore,_

_When you're without love,_

_Baby, yeah,_

_The sun ain't gonna shine anymore,_

_The sun ain't gonna shine anymore,_

_**NO MORE!**_

_The sun ain't gonna shine anymore,_

_**BABY, BABY!**_

Rose was waiting for Ghost Rider when he showed up at the warehouse district, she was clinging to a wall, about six feet up it,

"What kept you, we've been waiting her for ten minutes?" she asked, looking down on Rider, a huge smile on her face,

"Are we attempting to be hilarious tonight?" Rider asked, a slight tone of mirth in his voice,

"Not really," Rose replied, detaching her shared body from the wall, and landing lightly on the ground in front of the flaming specter, she quickly went into mission mode, "no sign of mullet boy, it might be a good idea if we checked the warehouses in the area."

"You do realize that there are more than thirty warehouses in this district." Rider commented,

"We'll have to do it the old-fashioned way, huh?" Rose replied, again smiling,

"Just smell for his cologne, it's a cross between grease, and hair gel." Rider commented, as he walked away, to a warehouse on his right,

"Nice, eave it to the grease monkey to smell like some fifties car revue." Rose stated, shaking her head as she walked away to a warehouse to the far left, she stopped close to the warehouse, and Kim's voice came out from underneath the mask,

"Why did you refer to us as '_we_' back there?" Kim asked,

"We're a team, right?" Rose asked,

"Okay, but I think it kind of worked Ron up a little bit . . . I'll explain it to him later on." Kim replied,

"There's something odd about that warehouse, mistress, should we take a closer look?" Rose asked,

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Kim stated, as the shared body took off for the warehouse straight ahead of them, they stopped by a small side window, and peeked through it,

"Jackpot," Kim stated, smiling as she did so, "now we need to find Ron."

"I can feel him near a warehouse a few yards to our left, mistress." Rose stated, causing Kim to look to her left, and see the spectral flames of Ghost Rider, reflecting off a building a few yards in the distance,

"Well, let's get over there. We don't have much time." Kim stated, taking off to where she knew Ghost Rider to be, once she skidded to a halt in front of him, Ghost Rider appeared to smile,

"What kept you?" he asked,

"We saw a shoe sale, and we just couldn't resist." Rose quipped, causing Rider to chuckle a bit,

"The more you stay attached to Kim, the more you sound just like her." Rider said still chuckling,

"Okay, joke time is over, Ron . . . we found Motor Ed in a warehouse about a few yards over our right shoulder." Rose stated,

"Question," Rider replied, looking at Rose carefully, "why are you referring to yourself in the plural?"

"Well, Kim and I are a team, so, why not?" Rose replied,

"I guess I can roll with that." Rider stated,

"We'd better get moving, before he decides to cut bait, and run." Rose stated,

"Hang on a minute, and let me see if he's still there." Rider replied, stepping in front of Rose, and focusing on the warehouse, the aura around him pulsed, and jumped in height, causing Rose to turn away, and shield her eyes,

"**_RON!_** Are you **_TRYING_** to blind us?" Rose asked, still looking away from Rider,

"Sorry about that, just using heat vision." Rider explained,

"Heat vision?" Rose asked,

"It allows me to look through walls, and pick up heat signatures from the human body." Rider explained, as he quickly picked up Motor Ed's heat signature in the middle of the warehouse, surrounded by his thugs,

"Yeah, he's in there all right, surrounded by his cronies," Rider stated, looking at Rose, and smiling, "Well, KP, you went through the front door last time, and I went through the back, care to reverse the order this time?"

"Sure, we'll take the back." Rose stated, smiling,

"Cool, cover the back, and try to find a way in without making a ton of noise, we don't want to raise the alarm too soon." Rider stated,

"On it." Rose stated, as she turned, and shot a webline at the lightning rod sticking up from a nearby warehouse, and swung into the air, where she disappeared out of sight.

Rose landed quietly at the back of the warehouse where Motor Ed, and his henchmen were holed up, moving as fast as a cheetah, she got up to the door, just as a gloved hand reached for the door, a loud voice screamed out in Kim's head,

"_MISTRESS, STOP . . . IT'S A TRAP!_" Rose warned, making Kim stop with her hand a mere fraction of an inch from the door handle,

"What do you mean?" Kim asked, in a soft voice, so as not to raise the alarm,

"_Mullet boy has two of his goons guarding the door._" Rose replied,

"Any ideas?" Kim asked,

"_Well, I could crash through the wall, and incapacitate whoever's on the other side?_" Rose explained,

"Yeah, but that could raise the alarm." Kim stated, reminding Rose of the plan, to break in quietly,

"_Then, look up, and may salvation find us._" Rose replied, as Kim turned her head up the side of the warehouse, she saw an open window,

"Well, would you look at this, and open window." Kim said, smiling,

"_Let's give it a shot._" Rose commented, to which Kim smiled,

"Great minds do think alike." Kim stated, now bending at the knees, she jumped up high, and adhered to the wall, she quickly crawled up the side of the wall, and to the bottom of the windowpane,

"_And just our size, too, this is convenient_." Rose stated,

"Tell me about it." Kim stated, as she slid quietly through the window, and hung, upside down on the side of the interior wall,

"Looks like they were expecting someone, and from the looks of the lead pipes in their hands, it was not going to be a friendly welcome." Kim stated in a hushed voice, so as not to attract attention.

"_How rude of them, what do you say we give them a real welcome?_" Rose asked,

"My thoughts exactly." Kim stated, as she pushed off the wall, did a beautiful midair back flip, and landed on her feet, with her back turned on the two henchmen at the door, the fight was so quick, that to the untrained eye, it was as if no one moved, yet Rose's arms were up, bent at a ninety-degree angle with her body, and her fists were exactly where the henchmen's heads had been just seconds before,

"The winner by knockout." Kim stated, dusting off her hands, as a smile came across her face,

"_I just got an idea, Mistress_," came Rose's voice in Kim's head, "_mullet boy may be a few bricks shy of a full load, but he's gonna recognize your voice._"

"Agreed, you planning on using your voice through my own mouth?" Kim asked, almost picking up the thoughts of the symbiote she was attached to,

"_That is the plan, you wanted this to be kept a secret, right?_" Rose stated,

"Yeah." Kim replied,

"_Well, you got a second voice on hand, it'll keep you protected if I used my voice._" Rose stated,

"Good idea." Kim replied, she smiled, as she felt Rose take over her vocal chords, and change them slightly to match her own voice,

"There." came Rose's voice out of Kim's mouth,

"_This is so cool._" Kim's own voice echoed through her head,

"Stick around, it get's cooler, I'll let you do the work, Mistress." Rose stated,

"_That was the agreement._" Kim stated, making Rose smile slightly, and it showed on the face of the shared body,

"Alright, let's go take care of mullet boy." Rose said,

"_Okay, check it out, Rose, there's a nice little hiding spot right behind that monster truck over there, we can hide there, and he won't know it until we decide to show ourselves._" Kim stated,

"Good idea." Rose replied, running fast as lightning, and positioning herself behind the huge truck, so that she had a good look at Motor Ed, and the front door,

"_Any minute, Ron's gonna come charging through that door, and mullet boy's not going to be too happy about it._" Kim stated,

"We got it covered, remember?" Rose replied,

"_I'll go with that_." Kim stated, as a loud rumbling began to fill the warehouse.

Motor Ed's eyes snapped to the front door, where it began to turn a glowing orange color, and then, without warning, the door exploded, when the dust settled, the flame-covered Spirit of Vengeance was standing in front of him,

"Looks like **_SOMEONE _**doesn't know how to **_LISTEN!_**" Rider shouted, looking at Motor Ed with a leer on his skeletal features,

"**_GHOST DUDE!_**" Motor Ed screamed,

"The name's Ghost **_RIDER_** and it would be wise if you remembered it." Rider hollered, putting a strong emphasis on the word '_Rider,_'

"Man, Rider, I tell you, just as someone once told us, this guy's head is as thick as a block of concrete." Rose stated, making her presence known from behind her hiding place,

"Whoa, dudette, just who are you supposed to be . . . seriously." Motor Ed asked,

"Well, who we're supposed to be is our business, as for our name, it's Rose." Rose stated,

"Whatever, redlite . . . seriously." Ed said, in his usual absence of manners,

"Man, talk about rude." Rose stated,

"By the way, that outfit clashes with your hair . . . seriously." Motor Ed stated,

"Look who's talking, Mr. _I need a new hairstyle_." Rose stated,

"This is a classic Mullet, babe . . . seriously." Motor Ed stated,

"Yeah, didn't anyone tell you that mullets went out of style back in the nineties?" Rose asked,

"Oh, you're just asking for it, redlite . . . seriously." Motor Ed stated through clenched teeth,

"That's not fair, Rose . . . for him." Ghost Rider stated, chuckling slightly

"Yeah, I guess you're right, calling him fashionably challenged would be an insult to those poor souls." Rose stated, in a long-suffering voice,

"Don't be slamming on the mullet . . . seriously." Motor Ed stated, his temper rising,

"Then don't be popping on our outfit, we happen to like it, thank you very much." Rose replied,

"Seriously, what are you talking about, redlite, ya mean that Ghost Dude likes it too?" Motor Ed asked,

"Stop calling me redlite," Rose stated, then in a flash of brilliance, she adopted Kim's voice, as she slammed the mulletted mechanic, "_Seriously._"

"Whoa, you just sounded like red there for a minute, seriously," Motor Ed stated, then, he looked around, and added, "speaking of red, where is she, she usually likes to bust in, and wreck my plans right about this time, seriously."

"We're sorry, but Kim Possible won't be taking your requests tonight." Rose stated,

"You're asking for it, redlite, seriously." Motor Ed stated,

"Well, if you feel froggy . . . **_JUMP!_**" Rose stated, her voice becoming somewhat menacing,

"I don't jump, redlite, it'll mess up the mullet . . . seriously." Motor Ed replied, now tossing back his long golden locks like they were a prized possession,

"Whatever . . . if you feel like a fight, just bring it." Rose stated, again with a sigh in her voice, as though she were getting bored,

"No more _Mr. Patient Dude_ . . . **_GET 'EM!_**" Motor Ed hollered, and from almost every corner of the warehouse, came henchman, after henchman, as though they were being transported in,

"This just got real interesting." Rose stated, as she dropped into a battle stance similar to Kim's, as the henchmen closed in on her, and Ghost Rider. Within seconds the henchmen dog piled both of them, but just as quickly as they had pinned them to the floor, they were scattered in all directions, first by Ghost Rider, as he suddenly burst through the henchmen, his fiery aura glowing brighter, Rose had burst through hers, sending henchmen running out of the warehouse, and into the night, like cockroaches from a flashlight,

"**_BORING!_** Anymore like you at home, mullet boy?" Rose asked,

"Well, I got this cousin, and . . . well, never mind." Ed stated,

"Are you referring to Drakken . . . **_EEW! MAJOR_** red flag!"Rose stated,

"How do you know my cuz?" Ed asked,

"Let's just say we know, and leave it at that." Rose stated, still shivering slightly from the comment that Motor Ed had spouted off earlier,

"Let's just skip the talk, and get to the fighting . . . seriously." Ed stated, now heading for Rose, who acted fast.

She extended both arms out in front of her, and pushed her middle, and ring fingers into her palms, weblines shot out, and caught Ed around the ankles, she quickly pulled back on them, causing him to fall to the floor, before Motor Ed could get back on his feet again, Rose gave another hearty jerk on the lines, sending the mulletted mechanic high over her head, to end up crashing into the wall behind her,

"Are we something, or what," Rose stated, dusting off her hands, then, she turned to look at Ghost Rider, and asked, "When will he ever learn?"

"About the same time Drakken gives up his dumb schemes." Ghost Rider replied,

"Well, looks like I'm gonna have to finish you off with my killer groove . . . seriously." Motor Ed stated, he now had a guitar strapped to his shoulder, and a pick in his hand, ready to hit a chord,

"A guitar . . . wow, we had no idea that you could play, other than an air one." Rose commented, but suddenly, something went off in the head of the shared body,

"_Uh-oh, this is not good._" Kim's voice rang out,

"What is it, Mistress." Rose stated in an undertone,

"_That guitar is hooked up to a sonic amplifier, if he plays any chord, and aims it at us . . ._" Kim began, but she was unable to finish, as a sonic chord shot through the warehouse, sending both her, and Ghost Rider hard into the opposite wall, Rose let out a loud scream as the sonic wave impacted with her body, and she retreated from around Kim's face, exposing her face to view, she quickly used her hands to hide her face, and told Ghost Rider, through her hands,

"Go take care of him, we'll get our wits back soon enough."

"I'll handle his little toy, think you can keep him busy long enough for me to sneak up on him?" Rider asked,

"We'll try." Rose stated, as the mask began to once again slowly form around Kim's face,

"Good, color me gone." Rider stated, disappearing from view in a flash of fire, just as Rose looked up at Motor Ed, leveling off another shot her way,

"So, redlite doesn't like my tunes . . . I guess I'll have to do an encore." he stated, as he sent the pick onto the strings again,

"Uh-oh, this isn't good." Rose stated, and with catlike reflexes, she was easily able to jump out of the way, missing being pulverized by yet another sonic wave, but she was still groggy from that last hit, however, something went completely unnoticed, a sudden flash of orange light from behind Motor Ed, as Ghost Rider reappeared, and looked down at the cables that connected the guitar, to the sonic amplifier it was plugged into, he quickly concentrated, and melted the cable in half, just as Rose landed in front of Motor Ed, with a satisfied smile on her face,

"You got us once, care to try for two?" she asked,

"I never do encores, redlite." Motor Ed replied,

"Pity . . . we were hoping you'd try again." Rose stated, as Motor Ed leapt over her, grabbed onto a chain hanging from the ceiling, and jumped into the monster truck she had been hiding behind,

"Rider, he's all yours, have fun." Rose stated,

"My pleasure, ladies." Rider replied, summoning forth a demonic chain, he was able to grab Ed around the waist, and jerk him from his vehicle,

"You got your chains, I got mine, too bad you can't use yours like I can." Ghost Rider commented, he didn't take into account the monkey wrench laying on the floor near Motor Ed, who quickly picked it up, and tossed it at an engine directly over Rose's head,

"**_ROSE, LOOK OUT!_**" Ghost Rider hollered out, as Rose looked up, just in time to see the heavy engine block hurtling toward her, she quickly jumped out of the way, as the engine crashed into the concrete floor,

"Did you think we were **_THAT_** stupid?" Rose asked, just as Ed jumped back into the cab of his truck, and took off again,

'_Man, that redlite's quick . . . seriously_.' he thought to himself, patting himself on the back for his quick thinking, and avoiding getting himself shaved clean, until he saw his motorcycle come crashing in front of him.

Behind him was Rose, she had hefted the nine hundred plus pound motorcycle over her head, and tossed it in front of him just as easily, and effortlessly as he could toss a baseball from the outfield, back into the pitcher's hands, he decided to just run over the motorcycle, tears streaming down his face as he did so, because he had to destroy such a fine work of art, until he suddenly felt himself once again jerked out of the driver's seat of his vehicle, this time, it was straight up into the air, when he came to a halt, he was twenty feet in the air, with no safety net below him, quietly, the form of Rose slid down, looking at him upside down,

"Fancy meeting you here, hang out here often?" Rose cracked,

"Lemme down, redlite." Ed said, a vicious growl to his voice,

"Say the magic word, and we'll consider it." Rose stated,

"C'mon, let me down." Ed replied, he was practically begging this time,

"Not until you say the magic word." Rose said,

"C'mon, lemme down, I'm afraid of heights." Ed stated, his voice cracking,

"Seriously?" Rose asked,

"Seriously . . . lemme down." Ed bawled,

"Oh, don't be such a baby . . . I guess we're feeling generous enough to take care of your request, but are you sure you want us to let you down?" Rose asked,

"**_YES!_**" Motor Ed screamed, bawling like a newborn baby,

"Oh, you're no fun." Rose stated, cutting the webline that held Ed fast to an overhead walkway, he began to free fall some ten feet, but just as quickly as it had begun, it ended, when he found himself encased in a cage made of demonic chains,

"Well, well, would you look what I caught?" Ghost Rider commented, striding forward as though he had not a care in the world,

"Nice catch, Rider." Rose stated, her feet coming to rest on the ground,

"Yep, that's one trussed up bird . . . comfortable?" Rider commented, reaching through the chains, and patting Motor Ed on the top of the head,

"Lemme out." Motor Ed said,

"Nope, this time, there's no '_Get out of jail free_' card for you, Ed." Ghost Rider replied, as he walked out into the night, leaving Rose to watch over Motor Ed, until the police arrived.

* * *

_The next morning:_

Kim woke up early the next morning, and found Ron, asleep on the couch in the den, she quietly walked up to him, and placed a kiss on his cheek, he opened his eyes slowly, and smiled,

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Kim stated, smiling,

"'Morning, KP." Ron stated on a yawn,

"Better watch it, that's contagious." Kim stated as she walked out of the room, and into the kitchen, a few minutes later, the smell of pancakes caught his nose, he woke up in bliss at first, then, he remembered that Kim usually woke up before her parents, and that Kim's mother was still in bed,

'_Oh, no . . . not again._' Ron thought, as he made a mad dash into the kitchen, expecting to find a disaster area, he was pleasantly surprised, when he saw a beautiful breakfast, cooked up just for him,

"Well, sit down, and eat, before it gets cold." Kim stated,

"Who are you, and what have you done to my KP?" Ron asked, looking at Kim with a hard look,

"Once again, thank Rose, she's the cook between us." Kim stated, as she sat down, and began to place a couple of pancakes, two sausage links, and a couple slices of bacon onto her plate,

"Once again, you two are full of surprises." Ron replied, as he placed a small breakfast steak, two eggs, and four pancakes onto his plate, and began to eat, it was wonderful, he needed to thank Rose sometime for this,

"What do you think?" Kim asked, waiting for Ron's answer, it came quickly, when he devoured everything on his plate within seconds, and began to load up with second helpings of everything,

"He likes it." Kim stated calmly,

"_Whew, thank God for that._" Rose replied,

"Yeah, I was thinking that the kitchen would look like a war zone again." Kim stated in an undertone,

"_I was hoping it wouldn't end up that way either._" Rose replied,

"Well, at least you know how to cook." Kim stated, smiling as she watched Ron scarf down another helping of pancakes, steak, and eggs,

"_Well, the fun's only begun, Mistress._" Rose stated, making Kim smile.

* * *

_Later that afternoon, at Middleton Mall:_

Kim and Ron had been walking down the mall for a long time, when Bonnie Rockwaller showed up, and looked at Ron,

"Hey, Ron, what's going on?" Bonnie asked,

"Not much," Ron replied, "just hanging with my girlfriend."

"Well, I can think of other things you can do." Bonnie replied in a smoky voice which made Ron uncomfortable, and Kim somewhat angry,

"Bonnie, I think I know where this conversation is headed . . . and the answer is no, I have no plans of breaking up with Kim anytime soon." Ron replied, this quickly brought a smile to Kim's face, but it was the appearance of a second visitor that caught Ron's attention,

"**_YO! EDDIE! OVER HERE!_**" Ron hollered out to the well-built former photographer, now full time adventurer,

"There you are, Ron," Eddie said, then, looking at Bonnie, he quickly added, "Sorry, private conversation."

"Why should I leave?" Bonnie asked,

"Girl . . . this is an "_A_" and "_B_" conversation, go "_C_" your way somewhere else." Eddie stated on a growl that sent shivers up Bonnie's spine,

"Talk about rude." Bonnie stated, as she walked away from the group,

"What do ya have, Eddie?" Ron asked,

"Our two favorite red friends are coming to town, when, and how, I'm not too sure, they snuck out of Japan sometime about three hours after I called you last time." Eddie stated,

"Oh, that's just prime, they're headed this way, and we don't know when they'll be here, or how they're coming," Ron stated, then, looking at Eddie panting heavily, he added, "speaking of which, how did you get here?"

"I just got in on the red-eye flight from Tokyo International this morning, I've been trying to find you all day." Eddie stated,

"Then, if you just got into town, then Cassidy, and Scarlet could be anywhere." Ron stated, a sudden feeling of foreboding washing over him, at that same time, a voice rang out in Kim's head,

"_They're not in town yet, Mistress, I'd know if Scarlet was anywhere nearby within a distance of at least twenty-five miles._" Rose stated,

"That's good to know." Kim stated, not bothering to keep her voice down in front of Ron, and Eddie,

"Let me guess, the breakaway symbiote from Scarlet found you, Kim." Eddie asked,

"Yep, sure did." Kim stated,

"What's she calling herself?" Eddie asked,

"Rose." Kim replied,

"And what did she just say to you?" Eddie asked,

"That they're not in town yet . . . at least Scarlet isn't." Kim stated,

"Yeah, but it's only a matter of time before they show up." Eddie reminded Kim and Ron,

"So, that means we need to be on our guard." Ron stated, leading the group of friends out of the mall, and into the bright, sunlit afternoon.


	13. Chapter 12:  Getting Serious

**Chapter 12**

**Getting Serious**

_**Bad Reputation**_

_by_

_**Thin Lizzy**_

_You got a bad reputation,_

_Well, that's the word out on the town,_

_It gives a certain fascination,_

_But it can only bring you down,_

_Turn yourself around,_

_Turn yourself around,_

_Turn it upside down,_

_Turn yourself around,_

_You had bad habits, well that's tough luck,_

_You play too hard, too much rough stuff,_

_You're so sly, do cold,_

_That bad reputation has made you old,_

_Turn yourself around,_

_Turn yourself around,_

_Turn it upside down,_

_Turn yourself around._

After arriving at Ron's house, the three friends began talking about the current situation they found themselves in,

"Okay . . . we know they're heading back here, but what we don't know is if they plan to make another attempt to assimilate Kim." Ron stated, point blank.

"_I won't let mother take you, Mistress_." echoed Rose's voice in Kim's head,

"_I'm not worried about that, Rose_." Kim mentally replied, she then turned to Eddie, and Ron, "Do they even have a clue that I'm bonded with a symbiote already?"

"Probably not." Ron replied, this unsettled both Kim, and Rose slightly, then, Eddie cut across their thoughts.

"I'm guessing no . . . but something seems odd about what they're doing . . . I mean, why come back to Middleton, when they know that Ghost Rider is here?" Eddie mused.

"I'll agree with that one . . ." Ron said, his face contorted in thought, then, as if someone switched on a light bulb in his brain, Ron suddenly began cracking a smile.

"What are you smiling about, Ron?" Eddie asked, now looking hard into the eyes of one of his closest friends.

"I need you to call in a favor, Eddie." Ron replied, that look on his face never shifting.

"You want us to call **_HIM_**, don't you?" Eddie asked, knowing full well what Ron was about to ask.

"Just hear me out, Eddie . . . I got an idea, but it involves you going back to New York, and locating Pete . . . you game?" Ron asked.

"Well . . . can't say that we're happy about it, but if it ends up putting Carnage away for a good long time, we're listening." Eddie replied, now folding his arms in front of him.

"Just find Pete, and tell him to round up his '_friends_,' tell him that there's trouble in Middleton . . . you know what friends I'm talking about, Eddie." Ron replied, winking at Eddie as though letting him in on a secret.

"I'll talk to him, but I doubt that his friends will come without something positive." Eddie replied, now looking at the floor, he knew that what Ron was asking would be hard work, and that there might not be a chance that any of Spider-Man's Avenger teammates would show up.

"I'll get in touch with Stark myself . . . just find Pete, and get him interested." Ron said, effectively ending the conversation.

"Okay . . . but you owe us for this one, Stoppable." Eddie stated, and in one fluid motion, the Venom symbiote appeared over his body, and he disappeared from view. No sooner was he out of sight, than Ron reached for the telephone, shaking his head.

"I swore I wouldn't call this one in unless I had to." he said, now dialing the number with a fury that seemed to have tripled the speed of his fingers.

"Call what in, Ron?" Kim asked, her hands on her hips, causing her to have a somewhat sultry look to her.

"I got a friend in New York that owes me a favor, KP . . . his name's Tony Stark." Ron replied.

"**_THE_** Tony Stark . . . the billionaire philanthropist?" Kim shouted, then, she quickly added, "But, Ron . . . how did you . . ."

"End up getting a favor from him?" Ron asked, to which Kim nodded.

"Remember the last time we busted Drakken before all this started happening?" Ron asked,

"The Diablo Incident? Yeah . . . kind of hard to forget." Kim replied.

"Well, Tony is a major stockholder with Bueno Nacho, and he told me that he owed me for what we did, big time, and if I ever needed a favor, to call him." Ron replied.

"**_NO!_**" Kim replied, very excited.

"Yes . . . he told me personally, KP." Ron replied.

As the line on the other end was answered by a female voice.

"Good afternoon, Stark Industries . . . how may I direct your call?" the secretary asked.

"Tony Stark's private office, please." Ron replied.

"Who may I ask is calling?" the secretary asked.

"Ron Stoppable." Ron replied, and he began to idly pick at a spot on his thumbnail, as he waited for Tony to answer on the other end.

"Mr. Stoppable . . . how are you?" came a voice that Ron knew well.

"Tony?" he asked, just to make sure.

"The one and only . . . so, what can I do for you today?" Tony Stark asked.

"Remember that favor you said you owed me?" Ron asked.

"Yeah . . . the Diablo thing . . . you saved the company, and the Board of Investors billions . . . so, what do you need, job reference . . . tickets to an exclusive concert . . . just say the word." Tony replied.

"None of the above, my friend." Ron replied, his voice taking on a deadly serious expression.

"You sound serious . . . did you and Kim's relationship go south?" Tony asked.

"Nope . . . more like a serial killer has found their way to Middleton . . . one that Kim and I alone can't handle." Ron replied, trying to be as subtle as he could.

"Talk to me, Ron . . . I'm listening." Tony replied, his voice suddenly signaling that he meant business.

"Tony . . . Carnage is in town." Ron replied, finally thinking that tact wasn't an option, and that just coming out with it was a better line.

"How do you know that psycho is in Middleton, Ron?" Tony asked, now becoming suddenly interested.

"Kim and I fought him . . . that's how." Ron replied, conveniently leaving out his own secret.

"You **_FOUGHT HIM!_**" Tony's voice rang out over the phone, "**_WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?_** This guy isn't even in the same league as Dr. Drakken, or even Shelia Gogh . . . he's a cold-blooded lunatic!"

"It was either that, or we watch one of our friends die a slow, painful death, and I for one am not about to sit around, and do nothing . . . neither is Kim." Ron replied.

"I understand, Ron . . . if it wasn't for Iron Man, Cletus would be in full control of Stark Industries by now." Tony replied.

"That's why I called you, Tony," Ron commented, "I'm aware of your ties to Iron Man, and to a certain group, if you will . . . I need some help in a major way . . . do you think you could put in a good word for me?"

"This isn't calling in a favor, Ron . . . this is **_MAJOR!_** Are you **_SURE_** that Carnage is in Middleton?" Tony asked.

"Positive," Ron replied, "I can't mistake that ugly, Barracuda face."

"Keep your marker, Ron . . . I'll get in touch with . . . those individuals . . . is there someplace in Middleton where they can meet with you, and be brought up to speed?" Tony asked.

"Yeah . . . the North Estate . . . it's south of town, on Highway 50." Ron explained.

"You know Timothy North . . . either I'm dreaming, or I just fell into one very intense geek dream." Tony replied.

"Yeah . . . I know him . . . I can call him up, and let him know they're coming." Ron explained.

"Don't worry, Ron . . . backup is on the way . . . they'll rendevous with you two in about an hour and a half . . . stay out of Cassidy's sight until then." Tony stated.

"You got it . . . just to give you a heads up . . . there's one other that knows what's going on, and he might be coming with you."

"One other . . . who?" Tony asked.

"Eddie Brock." Ron stated in a nonchalant way,

"**_VENOM!_** **_ARE YOU FOR REAL! _**The group would **_NEVER_** consent to be anywhere **_CLOSE_** to him!" Tony practically screamed.

"And he's the only one that can locate, and track Carnage, Tony . . . how else do you expect us to find him in this mess?" Ron asked.

"Point taken." Tony replied.

"And I have a small secret I need to share with them when they arrive . . . trust me, it's going to leave most of them speechless." Ron replied.

"Why do I get the feeling that this will be a long story?" Tony asked.

"Longer than you think . . . and I have no plans on telling it over the phone." Ron replied, effectively ending the conversation.

"Okay, meet them at the North Estate in about an hour, and we can get the ball rolling." Tony replied.

"You got it." Ron commented, before hanging up the phone.

"Okay, so now what?" Kim asked. Without even speaking, Ron thrust two pieces of paper into Kim's hand.

"Ron, what the . . ." Kim trailed off.

"I'm calling in a marker of my own . . . I need you to get in touch with Mr. N., and Johnny, their numbers are on the papers I just handed you." Ron stated.

Kim quickly grabbed her Kimmunicator, and got Wade.

"Wade, I need you to patch me through to two numbers at the same time." Kim stated.

"Ready when you are." Wade replied, as Kim rattled off the numbers, within seconds, the faces of Timothy North, and Johnny Blaze appeared on the small screen.

"Kim . . . long time . . . where's FF2?" Mr. North asked, as soon as he saw Kim's face.

"Hey, Kim, what's shaking?" Johnny asked.

"I forgot about that . . ." Kim said, giggling slightly, then, she quickly went into business mode, "first of all, Mr. North, there are about to be several individuals making their way to your estate."

"I'm guessing that these individuals aren't your run-of-the-mill people, are they?" Mr. North replied.

"No . . . they're a very influential group, based out of . . . New York." Kim replied . . . to which Mr. North perked up quickly.

"Gotta be The Avengers." Mr. North replied, to which Kim nodded.

"Talk about being hooked up . . . how did Ron-man pull that one off?" Johnny asked.

"No clue, Johnny . . . but I intend to get a few answers from '_Ron-man_' when this is all over . . . we need you here in an hour and a half . . . can you make it?" Kim asked.

"Already on the way, Kim." Johnny stated, as Ron walked out of the house, with a large briefcase in his hands.

"I'll be waiting." Mr. North replied.

"Please, and thank you." Kim replied, before closing her Kimmunicator, and looking out the window, as Ron pulled out of the driveway, and disappeared into the night.

* * *

_In a dark alley in downtown Middleton:_

A lone female figure walked into this deserted alley . . . she was shaking her head, and mumbling to herself.

"Why me . . . why would the goofball call me up for some job he's doing . . . if Kimmie ever found out, she'd castrate him." the woman said, barely audible as the sound of traffic muffled it.

"Hold it right there." came a voice from the shadows.

"Okay, I'm standing still." the woman stated, she had a greenish tint to her skin, and had long, raven hair . . . her emerald green eyes were peering into the inky blackness from where the voice came.

"You alone?" the voice asked.

"No . . . Drakken and Motor Ed are waiting in the trash cans next to me . . . **_OF COURSE I'M ALONE, STOPPABLE!_**" the woman screamed, as she stalked further down the alley.

"That's far enough, Shego." Ron stated, now walking out into the dim lighting that the street lamps provided.

"If this is a set up, Stoppable . . . I swear I'll . . ." Shego trailed, but Ron stopped her mid-sentence.

"Hardly . . . and as I mentioned . . . it's something you need to hear." Ron replied.

"Your quarter, Stoppable . . . I'm listening." Shego replied, as Ron placed a large black briefcase onto the trash can between them.

"Part of the agreement, I believe . . . it's all there." Ron stated, smiling.

Shego opened the briefcase, and her eyes widened in shock . . . where did the buffoon come up with this kind of money?

"You **_WERE_** serious . . . but how . . . I thought Dr. D. took all your money a while back?" Shego asked.

"You wish." Ron replied.

"For this much, I'd almost give up working for Dr. D. . . . almost." Shego stated, a wicked grin crossing her features.

"Count it up, Shego . . . half a million, as we discussed." Ron stated, as Shego began rifling through the briefcase, looking for ink packs, and making sure that the money was all there, she scrutinized every brick, looking for all the signs that showed that it was real, and not counterfeit.

"It's all there . . . good . . . so, what's the job?" Shego asked.

Something you'll love . . . Kim and I are after a big time serial killer named Cletus Cassidy." Ron stated, to which, Shego instantly paled.

"**_CARNAGE! HAVE YOU LOST WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR TINY LITTLE MIND?_** **_OR DO YOU AND KIMMIE HAVE A DEATH WISH?_**" Shego bellowed.

"Nope . . . and as I said, this comes with a promise . . . and I want to make it clear . . . if you plan a double-cross, you will **_NOT_** walk away alive." Ron stated, a hard edge coming to his eyes . . . Shego felt a slight chill go down her spine . . . only one other time had she ever feared for her life, and that was when Ron, who had become Zorpox, had threatened her life, with a tank full of man-eating sharks.

"You want me to team up with you, and Kimmie, and fight Carnage . . . you're nuts, Stoppable, a good fight is one thing . . . but this is suicide." Shego replied, dropping the briefcase at Ron's feet.

"Wouldn't you like to hear who you'd be working with first? We're talking top shelf talent." Ron stated, to which, Shego halted.

"Let me guess . . . my idiot brothers? Team Impossible? Am I even close?" Shego replied.

"How about The Avengers?" Ron replied, instantly, Shego charged up her hands, and stood there, looking ready to kill.

"This **_IS_** a set up." Shego growled.

"Will you amp down, and listen to the deal." Ron stated, that hard edge returning to his voice . . . Shego lowered her hands, but didn't power down.

"Alright . . . I'm listening."

"You're not going down, Shego . . . you'll be working with them . . . got it?" Ron asked.

"So, you're trying to tell me that the worlds **_MAIN_** league superhero squad is going to be in on this, and not even **_ONE_** of them will **_TRY_** to arrest me? I may have been born at night, Stoppable, but it wasn't **_LAST NIGHT!_**" Shego stated, her temper far from abated.

"Personal guarantee from Iron Man himself, Good enough for you?" Ron asked.

"Alright, I'm in . . . but if it gets too nuts for The Avengers to handle . . . I sure as hell am not putting my neck on the line." Shego stated.

"There's still a promise I need from you before this deal is closed, Shego." Ron stated.

"What is it?" Shego asked.

"It's simple enough . . . from this point on . . . whatever you see, or hear, it never passes your mouth again . . . only Kim knows what I'm about to show you . . . so, if it comes out, I know just where to go." Ron stated, as he walked over to his motorcycle, the cap was glowing brightly at this point.

"What are you going to show me that is not supposed to get out, Stoppable . . . I already know about your connection to Yamanouchi." Shego stated.

"Do you think I'm that stupid, Shego . . . no, it's bigger than that." Ron stated, as he continued to walk up to his motorcycle, and removed the riding glove from his right hand.

"What is bigger than that?" Shego asked.

"Would you like to find out?" Ron asked, at this point, Shego finally saw the cap, glowing so bright, it's intensity was almost blinding in the dull lighting of the alley they were squeezed into.

"Not really, I . . . wait a minute . . . why is your Harley glowing?" Shego asked, shielding her eyes from the intense light coming off it.

"Curious?" Ron asked,

"A little, but not enough to keep my silence." Shego responded.

"Well . . . you're about to find out . . . just one more thing . . . I need you to stand back . . . you might not like what you're about to see." Ron commented, as he stopped his hand just a fraction of an inch from touching the gas cap.

"Fine, I'll humor you," Shego stated, as she took a few steps back, "so, what's this '_unsettling_' revelation you're about to show me?"

"Get an eyeful, Shego . . . you're gonna love this." Ron stated, as he slammed his palm onto the gas cap, in a blaze of fire, Ghost Rider suddenly appeared.

"Is your curiosity satisfied?" Rider asked, the flames coming from him almost too intense to watch, but there was no heat.

"**_GREAT MOTHER OF . . . YOU'RE THE GHOST RIDER!_**" Shego shouted.

"You catch on fast." Rider stated.

"You're the one that put Dementor in the looney bin, Eddie in the hospital, and you put Monkey Fist out of commission." Shego stated.

"Guilty . . . not to mention that I actually broke three of your ribs, gave you a concussion, and gave Drakken a fractured skull." Rider added.

"But, how . . ." Shego trailed off.

"Fine . . . I'll explain everything." Rider stated, and he was off, explaining about the bike, his curse, and how he was here to atone for past sins.

"And you went through all of this just to save Kimmie?" Shego asked, still shocked at what she was seeing.

"That's part of it . . . the other part . . . it's retribution for sins I committed." Rider explained.

"This is dangerous knowledge you put in my hands, Stoppable." Shego stated.

"Maybe so," Rider replied, "But I wouldn't have told you if I didn't think you wouldn't keep your mouth shut."

"You know me well . . . too well," Shego stated, as she hefted the briefcase off the concrete, "this will ensure my silence Stop . . . Rider, but this is Carnage we're talking about . . . there's more, something you're not telling me."

"I can't get into that . . . that part is entirely up to Kim." Rider stated.

"Kimmie . . . what's she got to do with Cletus?" Shego asked.

"More than even you know." Rider stated.

"No . . . did he . . ." Shego trailed off.

"Starting to put two and two together . . . real quick, Shego." Rider explained.

"I'm not Dr. D., Rider . . . I pay attention to everything that goes on in the villain community." Shego stated, an indignant look crossing her face.

"Then you know about Rose, I take it." Rider stated.

"You mean that spider woman that . . ." Shego stated, then, as reality finally hit her, she smacked her forehead with her open palm, "So, Kimmie is the Rose Spider . . . but how did she overcome a Carnage spawn?"

"That's not my area of expertise . . . you'll have to talk to Eddie about that." Rider replied.

"Eddie Brock . . . **_VENOM!_**" Shego stated.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again . . . you catch on fast," Rider stated, now mounting his motorcycle, "Now, come on . . We have an hour to meet up with the others."

"Okay . . . I'm not going anywhere until you lay all your cards on the table, Rider," Shego stated, crossing her arms in an almost Kim-like manner, "I want to know why you need me, Venom, and The Avengers to stop Carnage?"

"You'll find out as the rest do . . . trust me." Rider stated, offering his hand to the raven haired beauty.

"Fine . . . but if things start getting out of hand, I'm not going to stick out my neck, and have it chopped off." Shego stated.

"You'll be well compensated if you get injured." Rider stated.

"Looks like I have no choice but to trust you." Shego replied, now getting on the back of the motorcycle.

* * *

_An hour later, at the estate of Timothy North:_

Ghost Rider pulled up his demonic looking motorcycle to the front door, and turned off the ignition, Shego looked around, and smirked.

"Your summer home, Rider?" she asked.

"Nope . . . this is the estate of Timothy North." Rider replied.

"The guy that used to play The Fearless Ferret on tv?" Shego asked.

"The one and only." Rider replied.

"How do you know him?" Shego asked.

"Did a favor for him a while back." Rider replied.

"Can't say that you're not hooked up." Shego replied, a whining sound suddenly getting her attention.

Landing only a few yards away was what Rider had been waiting for, a prototype jet, named the Quinjet.

"Right on time." Rider replied, as The Avengers began to disembark.

"Remember the deal, Rider, none of these guys are allowed to touch me." Shego commented.

"I know." Rider replied, as the armored form of Iron Man walked up to them.

"Iron Man . . . this is the final piece of the puzzle, Shego . . . she's here on her own, and she's an ally." Rider stated.

"Ah, the infamous member of Team Go . . . I thought you were working with some second-rate mad scientist." Iron Man replied.

"Well . . . she's working for us on this one." Rider replied.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Rider, although I had heard that you were hanging out in Team Possible's backyard." Iron Man commented.

"There's more to it than that." Rider replied, to which Iron Man nodded . . . it was at that point that a rose colored streak landed in the driveway, revealing Rose, standing in front of the group.

"And now we meet the famous Rose Spider." Iron Man stated.

"Pleased to meet you too, Iron Man." Rose replied, smiling slightly.

"So, I was supposed to meet Ron Stoppable here, Rider . . . you seen him?" Iron Man asked.

"Oh, yeah . . . sure have." Rider commented in a cryptic way.

"Where is he?" Iron Man asked.

"You're talking to him." Rose replied before Rider could get it out of his mouth.

"**_WHAT?_**" Iron Man asked, the surprise drenching every letter.

"He's me." Rider replied, to the stunned faces of those Avengers whose faces could be seen.

"How?" Came the response from Iron Man, but Rider held up a hand for silence.

"Long story . . . and I'll fill you all in when we get inside." Rider explained.

"Oh, I got to hear this." Iron Man stated, walking into the large mansion . . . right behind him strode Wolverine.

"So, where the hell is this Stoppable kid, Iron Dome?" he asked.

"Logan . . . you're just as friendly as ever." Rider stated, to a low growl from Wolverine.

"Amp down, Logan . . . I was only joking." Rider stated.

"I was jerked away from a cold beer, and a warm cigar because I was told this was important." the Feral Canadian stated on a gruff voice.

"Is Carnage important enough, Logan?" Rider asked, to which Wolverine instantly perked up.

"He's a psycho . . . but he's more the webhead's sparrin' partner than any of ours, 'cept maybe for shellhead . . . but why call us out here?" Wolverine asked.

"There's more, trust me on this, and you're actually going to enjoy it." Rider explained.

"Then make it fast, Rider." Wolverine stated, trailing behind him, was the Mighty Thor, who looked at Rider, and paused.

"Looks like the gang's all here . . . been a long time, Thor." Rider stated.

"Zounds, Rider . . . if the Lion of Asgard didst not know better, he would swear that thou were a minion of Surtur." Thor stated.

"I got an upgrade." Rider stated.

"Well . . . let's get inside, I'm dying to hear the full story." Shego said sarcastically, as she strode past Rider, and into the mansion.


	14. Chapter 13:  The Ultimate Sacrifice

**Chapter ****13**

**The Ultimate Sacrifice**

_**Vincent**_

_by_

_**Don McLean**_

_Starry, starry night_

_Paint your palette blue and gray_

_Look out on a summer's day_

_With eyes that know the darkness in my soul_

_Shadows on the hills_

_Sketch the trees and the daffodils_

_Catch the breeze and the winter chills_

_In colors on the snowy linen land_

_Now I understand_

_What you tried to say to me_

_How you suffered for your sanity_

_How you tried to set them free_

_They would not listen they did not know how_

_Perhaps they'll listen now_

_Starry, starry night_

_Flaming flowers that brightly blaze_

_Swirling clouds in violet haze_

_Reflecting Vincent's eyes of China blue_

_Colors changing hue_

_Morning fields of amber grain_

_Weathered faces lined in pain_

_Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hands_

_Now I understand_

_What you tried to say to me_

_How you suffered for your sanity_

_How you tried to set them free_

_They would not listen they did not know how_

_Perhaps they'll listen now_

_For they could not love you_

_But still your love was true_

_And when no hope was left inside_

_On that starry, starry night_

_You took your life as lovers often do_

_But I could have told you, Vincent_

_This world was never meant for one as_

_beautiful as you_

_Starry, starry night_

_Portraits hung in empty halls_

_Frameless heads on nameless walls_

_With eyes that watch the world and can't forget_

_Like the strangers that you've met_

_The ragged men in ragged clothes_

_A silver thorn on a bloody rose_

_Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow_

_Now I think I know_

_What you tried to say to me_

_How you suffered for your sanity_

_How you tried to set them free_

_They would not listen, they're not listening still_

_Perhaps they never will._

It took a lot of explaining to Timothy North to allow Ghost Rider into his home, but eventually he relented, and he now stood near the fireplace, with an arm resting against the mantle, as the assembled heroes took up seats, or stood, facing the demonic looking Spirit of Vengeance in front of them, he had been telling how Ron had found the motorcycle, how he had been awakened the first time, how Kim had witnessed the transformation, about the fight with Carnage, and finally, about Kim, being bonded with a symbiote that was the exact opposite from the one it had broken away from.

"And that pretty much brings us to where we are now . . . we're not too sure how Carnage plans to take us on, but we believe it has something to do with this." Rider stated, placing the diagrams that Johnny had taken from the half finished building only a couple of weeks before.

"The plans I found . . . did you finally get anything out of them, Rider?" Blaze asked.

"Better believe I did, J. Blaze," Rider stated, when no one interrupted, he continued, "it appears that Carnage has found a way to synthesize his own symbiotes."

"Oh, dear mother of God." Iron Man stated, looking at Rider, his voice was fearful.

"What's everyone so scared about?" Wolverine asked.

"Logan . . . if Cassidy were able to make these machines, and it actually worked, he could feasibly make his own private army . . . an army that would be loyal to him . . . one that would be nearly indestructible . . . now, do you understand?" Iron Man asked, his voice still with that same scared tone.

"Damn . . . we'd better find him, and fast, or this whole party's gonna be for nothin'." Wolverine muttered.

"Got that right." Shego concurred.

At that point, the familiar four tones of the Kimmunicator rang out, breaking the tense silence that had fallen around the room.

"Hello, can I . . . _**DRAKKEN?**_" Rose stated, in a surprised voice.

"Yeah . . . listen, is Kim Possible around?" Drakken asked quickly.

"No, but there's people here that can help." Rose stated.

"Good . . . is there a way for everyone in the area to hear me?" Drakken asked.

"Yeah . . . give me a second," Rose stated, then, she pushed a button on the Kimmunicator, and Drakken's face appeared over the table in front of her, a hologram.

"The Avengers . . . excellent," Drakken stated, on a sigh of relief, then, he continued on, in a slightly rushed voice, "I haven't got much time, so I need to make it quick . . . Carnage is in my lab, and the man's gone completely nuts."

"Which lab?" Rose asked.

"Near the top of Mt. Middleton . . . Kim would know . . . ask her." Drakken stated.

"We know where you're at, Drakken, get to the point, why don't you?" Rider stated, slightly annoyed by the cloak-and-dagger routine that Drakken was using.

"He's started up some machinery that's going to create symbiotes, and he's grafted a few of them to my synthodrone design," Drakken stated, his eyes darting around, "I'm supposed to be up there with him, but I was able to sneak out of the lab, and down about five levels."

"So . . . what's that got to do with anything?" Iron Man asked, but at this, Shego's face quickly blanched.

"_**DRAKKEN, NO!**_" she screamed at the top of her lungs, causing everyone in the room to jump.

"Shego . . . I'm glad you got some help," Drakken stated, then, he continued, his voice becoming somewhat softer, "I have to, Shego . . . I'm as good as dead anyway."

"What do you mean?" Wolverine asked.

"As soon as those things come online, he's gonna kill me . . . I had to resort to some pretty intense measures," Drakken replied, then, he continued, "this lair used to be an old government ammo dump . . . five levels below the lab, there's still some explosives, about twenty tons of TNT, and a few pounds of Nitro, if I can set it off, it might buy you guys some time to get up here, and put a stop to that madman."

"_**NO!**_" Shego screamed, "Dr. D., I can't let you do that . . . you'd end up killing yourself in the process, I can't." Shego stated, as tears began forming in her eyes.

"It's too late for me, Shego . . . just do me one favor." Drakken stated.

"Anything." Rider replied.

"I don't want to die a monster, or a villain . . . don't let my death be for nothing." Drakken stated, as he picked up what appeared to be a detonator of some kind.

At that moment, the door behind Drakken swung open, and Carnage was standing there, leering at Drakken.

"Well, well, doctor . . . lost your way to the bathroom, I see." he leered.

"I didn't loose my way, Cassidy . . . I came down here to put a stop to you." Drakken stated, as he moved the detonator down to his side.

"Not today, you won't." Carnage replied, and with the speed of a cheetah, he struck, stabbing Drakken through the chest . . . he turned back to the video device, and smiled, before pushing the button on top of the detonator, the signal was quickly cut off.

"_**NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**_" Shego screamed, as she collapsed in tears, as the entire manor house they were in began to shake, and rumble.

"I lost the signal." came Wade's voice a few seconds later.

"We know, Wade . . . Drakken's gone." Rose stated, wiping a tear from her face.

"I know . . . he told me what he was going to do, so I patched him straight to you . . . Shego, are you there?" Wade asked.

"Yeah, I'm here." Shego stated through her tears.

"He asked me to make sure you got this, his Last Will and Testament." Wade stated, and a few seconds later, his face was replaced with Drakken's.

'_To whoever is watching this . . . if you're seeing this, then I'm dead, I hope that my death was not for nothing, I don't want to be remembered in death for what I did in life, it's a shame that I never had the time to set things right_,' rang the voice of Drakken through the room, as Shego turned a tear streaked face to the recording, '_Shego . . . if you're there, I want you to lay aside your differences with Kim, and at least try to be her friend._'

"I promise, Drakken." Shego stated, as the tears began anew.

'_Kim . . . if you're listening to this, I'm sorry for the things I said, and did, I hope that in time, you can forgive me, and allow my spirit to rest in peace.'_ Drakken stated, his face cracking into a genuine smile.

"We forgive you, Drakken." Rose stated, as she bowed her head.

'_Stoppable, if you're there, I have to admit, it was fun while it lasted . . . yes, I have always known your name, I just loved to needle you about being the hidden member of the team.'_ Drakken stated on a chuckle.

"It sure was, Drakken." Rider stated, as he bowed his head low.

'_Please, don't forget me, and Shego, one more thing . . . I could never say this to you while I was alive, but during the years we worked together, I saw you as more than just a sidekick, or a flunky . . . I saw you as a potential love . . . I loved you with my entire being . . . I'm sorry that we never got a chance together, but I want you to not worry about me . . . I have made my peace with God, and I knew what I was doing, please, don't forget me.'_ Drakken stated looking around the room.

"He loved me . . . he loved . . ." Shego stated, trailing off before becoming so overcome with grief, that she collapsed into wailing sobs.

'_Goodbye, my friends, I hope that one day, we will meet again, under better conditions, until that time, I'll be waiting for you on the other side.'_ Drakken said, before the signal faded, and his holographic face disappeared.

"Well, what're we standin' around here for . . . let's do what the man wanted." Wolverine stated, unsheathing his claws.

"Indeed." Iron Man stated, as his fingertips began to crackle with electricity.

"Goodbye, Drakken . . . we'll make sure that your death was not in vain." Captain America stated, as he turned, and looked at the others, then, with a big intake of air, he bellowed the words that became famous around the world.

"_**AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!**_"

_Near the top of Mt. Middleton:_

Carnage had managed to carry himself up to the lab level of what was left of the lair, Drakken's bomb had managed to eliminate most of it, including the entire peak of the mountain, which was only about another five hundred feet up.

"Foolish human . . . he knows nothing." Carnage spat, as he limped up to his '_wife_.'

"They will, pay, my husband." Scarlet said, as her pointed tongue began to snake around her face.


	15. Chapter 14: Sweet Revenge

**Chapter 14**

**Sweet Revenge**

_**I Can't Drive 55**_

_by_

_**Sammy Hagar**_

_One foot on the brake, and one on the gas __**HEY!**_

_Well, there's too much traffic, I can't pass, no_

_So I try my best, little move,_

_But then a black, and white, come and bust my groove again._

_Go on and write me up a one, twenty-five._

_Post my face, wanted, dead or alive._

_Take my license, all that jive._

_I can't drive._

_**FIFTY FIVE!**_

_Oh, no, uh._

_So I sign my name, and number, twenty-four, hey._

_Yeah, the judge said 'Boy, just one more,' huh._

'_I'm gonna throw your ass in the city joint.'_

_Looked me in the eye, said, 'you get my point?'_

_I said, 'yeah, ah, yeah.'_

_Write me up a one, twenty-five._

_Post my face, wanted dead or alive._

_Take my license, all that jive._

_I can't drive._

_**FIFTY-FIVE OOH YEAH!**_

_I can't drive fifty-five._

_I can't drive fifty-five._

_I can't drive fifty-five._

_I can't drive._

_**FIFTY-FIVE!**_

_When I drive that slow, you know it's hard to steer._

_And I can't get my car out of second gear._

_What used to take two hours, now it takes all day._

_It took me sixteen hours to get to L.A._

_Go on and write me up a one, twenty-five._

_Post my face wanted dead or alive._

_Take my license, all that jive._

_I can't drive._

_**FIFTY-FIVE!**_

_Ah no, no, no, I can't drive._

_I can't drive fifty-five._

_I can't drive._

_I can't drive fifty-five._

_No, I can't drive._

_I can't drive fifty-five._

The flight to Mt. Middleton was both quiet, and somber, except for the few small racking sobs that escaped Shego, who chose to sit in the back of the jet, by herself.

Rose noticed what was happening, and decided to go and talk to her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Rose asked, looking at Shego carefully.

"No thanks, Kimmie . . . the only thought on my mind is turning Carnage into fish bait." Shego stated.

"I know how you're feeling, Shego, and believe me, I'm right there with you." Rose stated again, looking at the raven-haired beauty, as a small smile escaped her lips.

"What do you know about revenge, huh, what could you possible know about how I'm feeling, you've practically had your life handed to you on a platter." Shego stated.

"Alright, so maybe I haven't had as many hardships in my life as you have, Shego, but that still doesn't mean that I don't know how to feel, especially when someone dies a needless death." Rose stated, now looking hard into Shego's eyes.

"Listen to you, Kimmie . . . the prom queen, all looks, and no brains." Shego stated, as she rose from her seat.

"FYI, Shego, I wasn't the prom queen, I never put myself in the running for it." Rose stated.

"Above such mundane things, huh?" Shego asked.

"As far as I'm concerned, being elected prom queen is nothing more than a glorified beauty contest . . . one that has no real place in school." Rose replied.

"You really think that, huh?" Shego asked.

"Yes, I do . . . and believe it, or not, I never started my website with the intention of getting into crime fighting, I started it to try and earn some extra cash . . . it was a typo that got us our first mission." Rose stated, her eyes never leaving Shego's face.

"You mean that your getting into the hero business started with a typo?" Shego asked, to which, Rose nodded.

"I don't believe it." Shego finished.

"Believe it . . . Team Impossible was supposed to get that mission, but it just didn't work out that way." Rose replied.

"Well . . . the websites are pretty close, they're only off by one letter." Shego stated.

"And he typed it with his foot." Rose stated, smiling.

"Heh, talk about the luck of the draw." Shego stated, chuckling slightly.

"Now, I need to ask you something, Shego." Rose said, now taking a seat next to the beautiful thief, and looking at her.

"What?" Shego asked.

"Are you ready to sacrifice everything for this?" Rose asked.

"What do you mean?" Shego asked.

"What I mean is that there might be a few of us that might not come home from this, are you ready to make that kind of sacrifice?" Rose asked again.

"I lost everything when I lost Drakken . . . I have nothing left anymore." Shego stated.

"Then you don't mind." Rose stated.

"What do you mean, '_I don't mind'_?" Shego asked, now looking hard at Rose.

"If you've lost everything, then you have nothing left to live for." Rose replied.

"Maybe, but then again, maybe not, I still have my life, and that's a start." Shego stated.

"Then strap 'em on, girl, because we've got to be getting close." Rose stated, as she got up from her seat, and walked forward to where Ghost Rider was sitting.

"Kim," Shego said, in a small voice, which nonetheless, caught Rose's attention, "thanks."

"Don't mention it." Rose replied, as she took her seat.

"Mt. Middleton coming up." came the voice of Iron Man, who was at the pilot's controls.

"Good Lord . . . would you look at that." came the voice of Captain America, who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat.

As the Quinjet approached the mountain, they could see the remains of a lair about a few feet down one slope of the mountain, but that wasn't what surprised them, about twenty feet of the peak had been completely sheared off in the explosion.

"Looks like the old blueberry let off a nuke up here." Wolverine stated, in his usual gruff voice.

"I'm getting extensive damage to both the peak of the mountain, as well as the main lair itself . . . the upper three floors of the lair have been completely wiped out due to the rockslide, and the remaining floors aren't doing any better." Captain America stated, looking at an instrument directly in front of him.

"Looks like we'll have to bail out directly above the remains of the lair . . . if we try to land, we could send the rest crumbling from the jet wash." Iron Man stated, coming to a point directly above the highest point of the lair, and bringing the jet into hover.

"Alright, people, stop your grinnin', and drop your linen, time to earn our pay." Wolverine stated, opening the hatch next to him, and jumping out of the jet.

"Logan, you nut." Iron Man stated, as he watched the nearly indestructible mutant land on the roof of the lair without problems.

"I agree with Wolverine . . . the time for words are long past, thus, I say that it is time for battle." Thor stated, following Wolverine out of the Quinjet, and to the roof of the lair.

"You heard the man, let's go kick some ass." Captain America stated, unbuckling his safety harness, and heading for the hatch.

"Alright, everybody, out of the pool." Iron Man stated, as he jumped out of the hatch.

"I'll go with that." Rider replied, as he walked back to Shego.

"What do you want, Rider?" Shego asked.

"Time to get your head in the game, Shego . . . let's go." Rider stated, his voice taking on a somewhat kinder tone.

"If I jump from this height, I could kill myself." Shego stated, looking down to the roof.

"I'm not asking you to jump alone, Shego . . . put your arms around my neck, and hang on." Rider instructed.

"What are you going to do?" Shego asked.

"This." Rider stated, as they both disappeared from the jet in a flash of orange fire, reappearing on the roof seconds later.

"Oh, my head . . . that was an extreme rush, Rider." Shego stated, as she stumbled backward into Thor, who caught her, and got her back into a standing position.

"Thanks for the help, Goldilocks." Shego stated, turning to Thor, and smiling.

"The Lion of Asgard is honor bound to help his friends." Thor stated, looking at Shego with no emotion on his face.

"You don't rattle easy, do you?" Shego asked.

"I fear nothing, or no one, Emerald one." Thor stated.

"Well, then, what about a date, stud?" Shego asked, to which, Thor blushed heavily.

"I'd say that got your attention." Shego stated, smiling as she walked forward.

"Snap out of it, Goldilocks . . . we got work to do." Wolverine stated, as he walked by, with a wide grin on his face.

* * *

_Inside the remains of the lair:_

Carnage and Scarlet were working feverishly, attempting to get their numbers back up to a fighting shape, the explosion that Drakken had caused had cut their numbers to well under half of what they had to begin with, and it also destroyed the synthesizing equipment, leaving them with no way to make more.

"I shall kill them all myself if they try to stop me." Carnage stated, as he looked at Scarlet.

"Leave Rose to me, my love, she betrayed us, and she must pay for her crimes." Scarlet stated, as her tongue licked at her face.

At that point, a loud explosion caught their ears, as The Avengers came from everywhere.

"Whassamatter, Cletus . . . didn't expect to see me so soon?" Wolverine asked, as he jumped through the wreckage of the door.

"It doesn't matter, Wolverine, because I have plans for you." Carnage stated, as he jumped at the Feral Canadian, who easily dodged, just as Carnage was hit from behind by a blast of electricity.

"Don't forget me, or the rest of the group." Iron Man stated, making his presence known.

"I see you brought your friends, Wolverine, but they won't be enough." Carnage stated, as a huge ball of hellfire found his back, he let out a banshee-like wail, before spinning around where he stood, and coming face-to-face with Ghost Rider.

"Evening, Cletus . . . is this a private party, or can anyone join in?" Rider asked.

"You stopped me once, Rider, you will not do it again." Carnage stated.

"Is that a fact . . . well, I got four words for you . . . _**JUST BRING IT, BITCH!**_" Rider spat out, as the flames around his head grew, intensified, and turned a bright cobalt blue.

Carnage jumped after Rider, but before he could make his move, Rider hit him yet again with a blast of hellfire from his hands, sending the symbiotic maniac into the far wall behind him, where debris, and metal parts rained down on him like a shower.

Carnage stuck his head out from under the debris, and shouted loudly.

"_**GET THEM, MY CHILDREN . . . KILL THEM ALL!**_"

Instantly, the fight was on, as every member of The Avengers, Rider, Rose, and Shego snapped into action, the first to make a kill shot, was Shego, as she embedded her hand into one of the syntho-symbiotes, and set her hand ablaze, melting both drone, and symbiote into a puddle of green goo in seconds.

"And that doesn't even begin to cover the bill, Cassidy." Shego said through tightly clenched teeth, and moving on to her next target.

Meanwhile, Rose had landed in front of Scarlet, a scowl on her face.

"Good evening, mother, ready to go a couple of rounds?" Rose asked, as she dropped into a martial arts stance.

"Insolent little child, tonight, you die." Scarlet stated, shooting off several crimson daggers Rose's way, she was able to quickly jump out of their way, where she webbed Scarlet's feet, and, with a mighty tug, sent her opposite onto the floor hard, before Scarlet could get up, Rose was on top of her, cutting loose with everything she had.

Thor had jumped in front of Carnage after Rider had been tackled from that same spot, and took up the fight with the symbiotic madman.

"Thou hast made many innocents suffer, Carnage, thou must pay the price for your insolence." Thor stated, as he raised his hammer, Miljinor, high above his head, before he could strike, however, Carnage snuck in under his guard, and was able to cover his head with an appendage that had come from his back.

"Oh, no you don't." Shego stated, as she turned, back-flipped to a position behind Thor, ignited her hands, and placed them on the offensive appendage . . . it melted off within seconds, allowing Thor to breathe once again.

At the same time, Rider had begun to feel this fight was getting them nowhere.

"_**I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!**_" Rider bellowed, and with that, he sent off a radial blast of hellfire that incinerated most of the synthetic symbiotes, leaving only Carnage, and Scarlet standing, ever so slowly, he made his way to Scarlet, who was being held down by Rose.

"Move, Rose . . . she's mine." Rider stated, as Rose moved out of the way, Rider quickly grabbed her, and watched the symbiote separate from her face.

"You would not hurt me, would you?" said the familiar face of someone that Ron knew.

"You're not Yori . . . Yori never had a scar above her right eye." Rider stated, now looking hard into the symbiote hosts eyes.

"I am not that easy, Rider." Scarlet spat out, as she covered the hosts face once again.

"We'll see about that." Rider stated, as his hands became encased in demonic fire, causing the symbiote to once again, separate from the face of its human host.

"It is time for you to be punished for your crimes, feel the _**VENGEANCE OF GHOST RIDER!**_" Rider bellowed, and with that, a bright orange light connected between his eyeless sockets, and the eyes of the person he was staring at, the Scarlet host suddenly gained a terrified look on her face, as she began to scream loudly.

"Rider, no." Shego yelled, but she was stopped by the large hand of Thor.

"Nay, I say unto thee . . . leave the Vengeance Rider to his task." Thor stated, as the screaming echoed off the walls, reaching a deafening crescendo, finally stopping a few seconds later, when the orange beam stopped.

"Say goodnight, little girl." Rider stated, tossing the now gibbering form of Scarlet to the floor, and leering over it.

"What have you done to my queen?" Carnage demanded, as he ran over to the now prone Scarlet, who had curled up into a fetal position, and was sucking her thumb.

"Something she deserved." Rider replied, as he turned, and walked away.

"You'll die for this, Rider!" Carnage screamed, and went to charge the skeletal spirit of vengeance, but was unable to move, it was as if he had been frozen to where he stood.

"_**WHO CALLS FOR ME?**_" boomed a disembodied voice.

"I have, father, it is I, Thor." Thor stated, looking toward the heavens.

"_**WHAT DOST THOU WISH OF ME, MY SON?**_" the voice asked.

"I dost require your presence on Midgard, father." Thor stated.

"_**VERY WELL.**_" the voice boomed, and in a flash of blinding white light, stood an elderly man, with a long platinum white beard, and brightly glowing white eyes, the All-Father, Odin, had appeared.

"My son . . . it does my heart good to see you well." Odin stated, looking at Thor, and taking him into a fatherly hug.

"My Lord . . . I hast called you for reason." Thor stated.

"What do you ask of me, my son?" Odin asked.

"The human you see before you has violated both the laws of man, and the laws of the Gods . . . he deserves to be punished at your hand." Thor stated.

"This man . . . what hast he done to deserve my attention?" Odin asked.

"My Lord, if I may." came, not the voice of Thor, but the voice of Shego.

"Speak, Emerald One." Odin stated, looking at Shego carefully.

"Is it not against the laws of the Gods that a human should not touch, or even think of touching, or attempting to murder a God?" Shego asked.

"It is." Odin stated.

"Then there's your reason, my Lord . . . Thor is your son, and therefore, a God of Asgard, am I right?" Shego asked.

"You are correct, Emerald One." Odin replied.

"That man attempted to kill your son, my Lord, by suffocation." Shego stated.

"Indeed . . . then he shall be punished accordingly." Odin replied, now turning to look at Carnage.

"Cletus Cassidy . . . the villainous scum known as Carnage . . . the time has come for you for pay for your crimes with your soul." Odin raged, looking at Carnage with hatred in his eyes.

"You can't do it, if you're _**DEAD!**_" Carnage blurted, and attempted to kill Odin with his daggers, to which, there was no effect.

"And you can't kill a _**GOD, HUMAN!**_" Odin raged.

"Your scheme is undone, and your black soul is mine." Odin stated, as he raised his hand, with a loud clap of thunder, and a streak of lightning, Carnage disappeared, leaving nothing behind, but memories.

"_**AN ETERNITY OF SUFFERING IS THE FATE OF THOSE WHO CHALLENGE THE GODS!**_" Odin bellowed, as the brightness in the room receded, and he prepared to leave.

"My father, I have just one more request." Thor stated, looking at his father carefully.

"Speak, my son." Odin stated, turning around to regard his son.

"The Emerald One . . . today, she proved herself worthy of a favor from the Gods." Thor stated.

"How?" Odin asked.

"She doth save my life, father, and is therefore worthy of a favor from the Gods." Thor said.

"What dost thou wish, Emerald One?" Odin asked.

"I would like to have Drakken back, my Lord." Shego asked.

"I am truly sorry, my dear one, but that is not up to me." Odin stated.

"Then who?" Shego asked.

"Not even us Gods can revive the dead . . . it is all part of the natural order, you are born unto this world, you live in this world, and eventually, fate chooses your death . . . it is not for me to grant a favor such as this." Odin stated.

"Perhaps I can offer a solution to this dilemma, father." Thor stated, once again getting his father's attention.

"Perhaps . . . I will hear your request, my son." Odin stated, looking at Thor.

"It has recently come to my attention that Valkyrie hast fallen in battle, perhaps, if the Emerald One were to take her place, and be returned to Midgard as her sworn protector, a Valkyrie that will bring Asgard peace for a million years." Thor stated.

"It is reasonable, I shall consult," Odin stated, looking at Shego, "Emerald One . . . would you agree to that which my son has spoken?"

"Yes." Shego stated, looking at Odin with no fear.

"Is thou aware of the burden of the title of Valkyrie?" Odin asked.

"I am." Shego stated.

"Then I shall grant that favor, if that is what thou wishes." Odin replied.

"It is." Shego stated.

"Very well . . . thou may speak unto thine fellow warriors one more time, before thou must leave." Odin stated, smiling as he did so.

Shego walked directly to Kim, and smiled.

"Thanks for your help, Kimmie . . . if you ever need me, I'll be there, I swear." Shego said, smiling a genuine smile.

"We'll be here when you get back, Shego . . . keep in touch." Kim stated, allowing the Rose symbiote to separate from her face.

Shego smiled, and then, walked up to Rider, who was looking carefully at the raven-haired beauty that stood in front of him.

"You take care of her, huh." Shego stated, jerking her thumb at Kim, and smiling.

"Have I never?" Rider asked.

"Not that I'm aware of." Shego replied.

"Then you have my promise." Rider replied, to which Shego placed a kiss on his bony cheek, before walking to Odin, and smiling.

"I'm ready, my Lord." Shego stated, looking at Odin.

"Very well, Emerald One . . . we shall be off . . . be well, friends of Asgard." Odin stated, before disappearing in a flash of white light, Shego at his side.

* * *

_ And one more chapter, and this one will be finished . . . I hope you enjoyed it. It's hard to believe that this story evolved from an afterthought I had almost a year ago, and has finally come full circle, to it's conclusion._

_ As always, keep the reviews coming,_

**_Doug_**


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Kim and Ron were in their usual booth at Bueno Nacho, discussing their future plans. Their recent graduation from High School had opened several doors for them, leaving them with tons of choices.

"I really don't know, Kim . . . I was thinking either ITT Tech, or De Vry, I guess I'll have to wait, and see which one accepts me." Ron stated, smiling slightly.

"Me neither, I mean, there's tons of colleges and universities out there that have varied courses . . . I just can't decide." Kim stated, when a small white orb caught their attention.

"Wonder what that is?" Kim asked.

"I don't know, but it's headed this way." Ron replied.

The orb stopped at their table, and the center faded away, revealing a smiling Shego, her greenish tint had given way slightly to a more normal, healthy look.

"Hey, you two." Shego said, looking at the two teenaged lovers, and smiling.

"Hey, Shego." Kim replied, smiling.

"Hey, Shego . . . looking good . . . how's things on Asgard?" Ron asked.

"Equal parts nice, and brutal," Shego replied, shaking her head, "I've been in non-stop training since I got here, if it's not with Odin himself, it's with Lady Sif."

"Sounds like you got your hands full." Kim stated, a smile on her face.

"True, but I did volunteer for it." Shego commented.

"Well, just keep smiling, Shego . . . I'm sure things will work out for the better." Kim replied.

"Speaking of turning out for the better, you see Drakken yet?" Ron asked.

"Sure did, Odin took him on as his personal alchemist, and blacksmith, and he's loving every minute of it." Shego replied.

"Well . . . it sounds like things are working out for the both of you." Kim stated.

"More than I ever dreamed, Kimmie . . . I should be finished with my training in about six months . . . when that's done, I'm coming back home, so, be ready for me, girl, because me and you are going to go on a major shopping binge when I get back." Shego stated, as a large smile came over her face, the orb them disappeared in a wisp of smoke, leaving the two teenagers to look at each other.

"Oh, my bank account is shuddering over that one, KP." Ron stated, looking at Kim with a worried look on his face.

"No big, Ron, it'll manage." Kim replied, a devilish grin on her face.

* * *

_ And that brings this story to a close, I hope you enjoyed it, and now, time to give some credit where it's due:_

_**dragonmaster4381:** Who helped me get this story started, and helped me to keep it going when I thought about aborting it on several different occasions._

_**Dareon Blackoak: **Who helped me dialogue most of the story, from about chapter 10, onward._

_**captainkodak1: **He gave me a ton of humorus ideas to put into this story from beginning to end, he has been a wealth of information._

_**beeftony: **You once called me an inspiration to your work, well, you helped inspire me to finish this, if it weren't for you, and several other readers, this story would probably still be languishing in the dooldrums somewhere._

_ And to everyone that reads my works, you are all the reason I keep writing, I do not do this for myself, I do this all for you, the reader._

_ Until next time, folks, may you always get what you ask for, and may you never be alone,_

**_Doug_**


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